


Metamorphosis

by J-Bfan (Mysterie), JackfrostTruefrost300



Series: Mortal Guardians [8]
Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, F/M, Love, M/M, Multi, Older Jamie, Spirit Jamie, cursing, dark spirits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-30 19:04:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 35,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3948193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysterie/pseuds/J-Bfan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackfrostTruefrost300/pseuds/JackfrostTruefrost300
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack is attacked by other seasonal spirits and finds himself face-to-face with Mother Nature herself. He learns that he's not like the other seasonals and soon it becomes clear that he's not just different from other winter spirits because he's a Guardian... </p><p> </p><p>[8th installment] sequel to Conversion</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beneath the Surface

The wood spirits growl at Jamie.

"Our leader needs him!" The female snarls as vines encase Jamie, intending to shred into him.

"He is a very important spirit, Mother's favorite to be exact and we only have a few questions for him!" They angrily pick Jack up from where he's at and the male spirit looks at Jack with pity.

"It's true sir, we only have questions." Hardly pacified, the vines around Jamie burst into flame and the spirit that is holding Jack shrieks in pain; dropping him as the light around her stabs at her eyes suddenly. He brushes away the burning vines.

"If your leader has questions they can come to the castle like a CIVILIZED spirit. Not try a kidnapping..." Jamie snarls, his aura pulsing purple with darkness.

"Go back to your leader with my message and if you try ANYTHING like this again... you'll wish I hadn't let you live..." He picks Jack up, disappearing from the forest in a flash of light that momentarily blinds the other spirits as it takes the two of them back to the castle; he's seething at this point. The poison that they had injected into Jack was a type that would make him answer any questions that were asked, basically a truth venom. Jack groans as he groggily wakes up, looking around at the bedroom.

"What happened?" He was very worried as he feels Jamie's anger over the bond.

"Jamie?" He lightly put a hand on Jamie's shoulder, a gesture of comfort. Jamie has to clench his fist to keep from lashing out a Jack; it isn't Jack he's mad at.

"Damned wood spirits... I don't know what they wanted with you... but they were anything but civil... I hope the hell they got the damned message I sent..." Jamie all but snarls in reply as he turns back to Jack, noticing he hadn't taken the dart out yet. He gently plucks it from Jack and burns it in his hand until all that's left is ash. Jack cries in slight pain as the poison kicks in.

"I-i think there was more in t-that dart t-than a sleeping potion." Jack says in between gasps for air. Jamie growls in frustration.

"Doesn't surprise me... come on. I don't think they mean any REAL harm... despite having a lack of manners... not the most aggressive of spirits." He leads Jack back to the kitchen; Jack follows, groaning as he is having trouble seeing properly. He breathes heavily.

"It's not the first time they've done this." Jamie grunts a little.

"That doesn't surprise me either." 

 

 

Jamie leads Jack to a chair so that he can gather his wits and get his bearings as the poison takes hold.

"They're more suitable for espionage... well one part of it..." Once he's made sure Jack is sitting in a chair he pulls out some carving knives he has especially for dealing with meat and begins to go through what he had picked rom the kills; separating the different kinds of meat from each kill... then there was still the rabbit to skin and carve up. Jack sighs.

"No, Jamie they only want me for the purpose of becoming one of them." Jack sighs.

"They have the power to turn me into one if they wanted, which is why I avoided the inside of the forest until then." That was the wrong thing to say. Jamie slams one of the knives into the wooden board he's been using with such force that the knife vibrates.

"I let those bastards off too easy... seems to be a fad as of late..." Jack jumps at the sudden display of anger. 

"Calm down Jamie, they really meant no harm." Jack was worried, he'd never seen Jamie like this... Jamie growls, closing his eyes, not even realizing he's smearing fresh blood on his face as he pinches the bridge of his nose...

"Those ignorant sons of a bitches... Jack... don't you realize what would happen if they did that? It would upset the very  _balance_ of nature! I'm surprised Mother Nature hasn't just wiped them clean out..." Jack shivers at that.

"Jamie, it's okay. I'm fine. They're not gonna come back... at least maybe for a bit." He mumbles the last bit.

"If they have any ounce of intelligence they WON'T come back... if they do... I'll just leave them to HER... See how long they last under what she can do..." He trails off, staring at the meat before him, his voice as cold as the ice Jack can make. He was beyond pissed. Those spirits had better wish they never met up with him again... Jack shakes in the face of Jamie's anger. 

"Please, Jamie." He tries to pacify the aggression.

"I'll be fine, but they're still spirits that have a job." He says truthfully, they meant no harm they were just pissed that Jack had turned them down and now wanted Jack to turn no matter what. Jamie doesn't say anything, just trying not to burn the meat with the fire that's in him... or the handles of the knives... or anything else for that matter... It wasn't Jack he was mad at anyway, he didn't want to hurt Jack... anything but as he plucks the knife from the board and goes back to slicing the meat. Jack shudders a little.

"It really hurt when they tried." Jamie accidentally scorches a piece of meat he was delicately slicing just then... That wasn't helping... that only ticked him off more. The only reason Jamie's anger hadn't roused Mysterie was because of the deep sleep he'd stuck her into earlier. Jack sighs.

"I'm gonna go make snow." He says, about to leave the castle.

"Be careful." Jamie says calmly, though he certainly doesn't feel it... he continues slicing up the various meat. His rage was ice cold... if he EVER saw another one of those spirits again within even 20 miles of the castle... Well... they were going to learn the hard way why it was light spirits had such a nasty reputation with humans... 

 

 

Jack sighs.

"I will. Stop mother henning." He says as he leaves to go check how his pack is doing and begins to make it snow in a few areas.  _Mother henning?_ A slight ripple of amused surprise jolts over the bond and Jamie slowly begins to relax as he continues working with the meat while Jack goes out to do the job he's been doing for centuries now. He never would have thought that particular phrasing would apply to him... but he couldn't help but worry for Jack. Not because he didn't think the winter spirit could handle himself but just because Jack would never admit when he needed help... would never come to him if he needed it... Never had.... Jamie shrugs off the thoughts. No, he shouldn't dwell on them. He wasn't that naive little boy anymore... Until Mysterie had appeared in his and Jack's lives he'd thought that all friends trusted each other on some level and hadn't he and Jack been friends for three years when she had come along? Jack hadn't told him anything... and as he'd grown up he'd begun to understand that friendship didn't always mean trust... That was when he'd begin to hide from Jack the truth... how he was lonely... how his friends had abandoned him by the time he was fifteen... He'd been on his own and fighting with even his baby sister about whether or not the Guardians were real... and she was six years younger than he was... She should have believed... but she didn't really... not like he did. He sighed wistfully at the thought of his sister then pushed it aside to concentrate more on what he was doing. Jack smiles when he sees the pack that had taken him in and taught him everything he knew; they all surrounded him, whimpering and sniffing at him as he did to them; they licked at his new clothes and he chuckles, growling at them in wolf language, unaware that a few fire spirits and wood spirits had teamed up to capture him. What the spirits were unaware of was that Mother Nature had caught onto their plan... as they closed in around Jack they cried out as spirits who were loyal to Mother Nature proceeded to beat the snot out of them... Jack looks up from the pack when he hears the commotion and suddenly gasps.

"STOP! WAIT! IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT!" He cries out, trying to pry a few of his fellow winter spirits from his would-be-attackers. One of the winter spirits gently pushes Jack back with a blast of wind and then cuffs the fire spirit, he had been fighting, on the head. Enough to daze them and secure them with ice bonds as his other fellow spirits were doing.

"We have our orders from Mother Nature herself... They're guilty of attempted assault and kidnapping.... they will have HER to answer to Frost." One winter spirit says, the utmost respect in her voice even as she seals the cuffs on a wood spirit, and the beaten group is lead away from the clearing.

"Considering the look that Jamie of yours was giving that group earlier... I'd say they're going to get off lightly... No one with half a brain pisses off a light spirit.. even if he isn't as combat powerful as that Mysterie..." Another winter spirit comments as he shoves a fire spirit before him; the group that would have attacked Jack grumbling as they are led away. Jack whimpers.

"STOP! PLEASE! I know they mean well!" He says as he grabs one of the frost spirits' arms to stop them from taking one of his would-be-ambushers away, he was worried... just worried as he followed close behind the group. The spirit whose arm Jack grabbed looks over at him and lets go of her prisoner, another spirit grabbing the fire spirit as she turns to Jack.

"Look, Frost... We all know you have a good heart. You're the best of us, but they have to answer to her for disobeying a direct order. Don't worry about them... if I were you, I'd be more worried about one of your friends getting a hold of this lot. At least Mother Nature will give them a fair trial... We all heard about what _she_ did to those fire spirits and those two changelings who dared touch you... It's a wonder this group even tried." 


	2. Court of Seasons

Jack sighs and lets go of the winter spirt.

"At least let me come with." He says with finality and she gives him a small smile and a slight bow.

"As you wish. You, of course, may come at your own discretion." She returns to the group, trailing snowflakes behind her as she works to catch up to the group that is waiting for her in a different clearing. Jack follows close behind, not even knowing the fury that Jamie was currently in since Jamie could sense his distress. Jamie is still trying to calm himself down, just relieved - if only a tiny bit - that someone had the presence of mind to interfere. When Jack reaches the clearing he can see there is a small portal waiting and that each prisoner is accompanied by two guards who had been waiting in a circle around the portal itself; mostly to guard the portal but also to serve as back up in case they were needed... all in all for a total of ten spirits who had tried to attack him, there were twenty two spirits present besides Jack. The winter spirits give respectful bows when they see him, the other seasonals toss him a smart salute, before marching their prisoners into the portal. Jack follows closely, sighing a little but he smiles back at the friendly winter spirits. His worry going out to the spirits about to be put on trial and every spirit present beyond the portal, which had closed behind Jack, could see that he was uncomfortable and slightly upset. There was a murmur that rippled through the throng of seasonal spirits who were gathered in the green glade with a vine curtain that hid part of a gazebo that was just as green. Spirits of all seasons were gathered along the sides of the gazebo and were surprised to see Jack as the prisoners were lined up before the gazebo with the vine curtain. Winter spirits all around bowed or curtsied in respect to jack. It wasn't often a major spirit appeared at such a trial that involved them, but the other spirits were showing differentials to three other spirits who were just walking into the glade. One such spirit had fiery red hair and was dressed in a red tunic and blue jeans; he gave Jack a friendly smile even as he waved to the fire spirits in the crowd who were happily tossing a salute or bow to him.

A woman with green eyes and neon green hair that was cut boyishly short wore a green halter top with a short black skirt; she looked to be barely older than jack. She shot Jack a look that said 'really?' The third was what seems to be an older woman with auburn hair and orange highlights, wearing a flowing brown dress that spoke of a more conservative personality, she also seems a little on the cold side as she gazes at her fellow spirits, but the autumn spirits show her difference with great respect. Jack made himself a chair and sat in it, surprised to see the respect that the spirits were showing as usually the seasonals were at each other's throats. Each of the three spirits he'd seen come in move to take their places in special chairs on each side of the gazebo; the summer spirit raising an eyebrow at Jack quizzically; the other two ignoring Jack as they take their seats. Each one made to reflect their season. The summer spirit, unlike the so-called fire king Jack had dealt with what seems like a lifetime ago, this one seems friendly enough and the question in his eyes is obviously whether or not Jack planned to take his seat next to the gazebo and the girl who is the spirit of spring while he sat on the other side of the gazebo with the older woman, who is the spirit of autumn. Jack sighs, he is in total distress; not knowing that he is sending that distress to Mysterie and Jamie... all the spirits can see he is tense and the frost along his hoodie reflects that a little bit. With a sigh, the fire spirit gets up from his seat and walks over to Jack. A hush falls over all the other spirits.

"Jack? It's okay, I know this must all be new to you...  You've never been to the Seasonal court before.. I'm Gary Summers. I promise no one here will hurt you. You've been through quite enough of that already." He keels down before Jack, holding out a hand to show he means him no harm, watching him carefully as he doesn't want to spook Jack. Meanwhile, Jamie is trying to sort out Jack's distress from his own anger. What the hell now? Although he gets the sense that things weren't completely wrong... He senses someone is trying to reach out to Jack... and they aren't hurting him... So what the heck was Jack panicking about? Jamie shoves the meat into a special locker for it. He'd skin the rabbit later. First he needed to find Jack. 

 

 

Jack sighs.

"Thanks. Just been on edge." He looks to the other spirits who were on trial. He wants to plead, to say that they didn't deserve this even if they meant to harm him. He gets up and follows Gary to the gazebo, taking his place there as expected. Jack was worried what Jamie would think of him for pleading for these so-called-spirits who had meant him harm. Gary smiles and takes his seat again, the spirits stay quiet because several blue birds flutter to the vine curtain to pull it back and Mother Nature steps forward; she glances over to Jack with a smile, doing the same for her other "children" who smile back. Jack smiles back at her, but then turns his head to pay attention. Whining softly in anger at the way the other spirits were glaring at the ten on trial when Jack knew that they hadn't intended to hurt him; it was a simple misunderstanding, he was sure of it. Mother Nature steps from the gazebo to look at the ten fire and wood spirits who stand in cuffs, their guards standing behind each of them to ensure they don't cause trouble. She stares at them with a neutral expression as she speaks loud enough to be heard through the entire area.

"You ten stand accused of disobeying the rule of not interfering with the Guardians. Of planning and intending to cause harm to a Guardian. Of planning and intending to harm a Seasonal Ruler and upset the balance of things for your own desires and/or agenda. What say you to these charges?" Jack shakes his head, burying it in his arms as he folding them, groaning in slight pain.

"Not the best of times Punishment." He mutters, the spirits say nothing in their own defense. A few look defiant while others shy away... mostly it's the wood spirits who shy away. Though a spring spirit steps forward, she looks like a child of six. Her short hair in a bob style, matching eyes and a deep green dress.

"I saw 'hole thing." She says cutely, though it's hard to take the spirit seriously as she looks cutely serious. Her eyes gleam though with a wisdom far beyond the years she looks to be.

"Speak then, Andrea. What did you see? Tell us." Mother Nature says with a kind smile for the little spirit who has bravely stepped forward. Jack worries what she might say.

"They planning bad things. Said not nice things about Jack. Wanted to upset balance." The little girl says, scowling at the ten. It was cute, although the various spits around them seem to suddenly react unfavorably, shouts of anger coming from the crowd of spirits around them. Mother Nature doesn't seem to react at all, rather she seems to simply wait the crowd out. The other rulers of the seasons seem to glare at the ten as well. The accusations were very serious ones indeed. Jack looks at the ten in sorrow and worry.

"Wait! They meant nothing by it! THEY MEANT NO HARM!" He shouts, suddenly out of his seat. Every spirit quiets down in shock, Mother Nature moves over to Jack and puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Jack." Her voice is calm, her eyes soft as she looks at him. He shakes, afraid to look up to meet her gaze. Her voice is gentle as she speaks.

"Calm down Jack. I know how you feel, but they simply cannot be allowed to upset the balance." Jack sits back down in his seat, burying his head in his arms again. He is so embarrassed about his outburst, but not at the same time; he is only upset because he cares for the spirits.

 

 

Mother Nature gently ruffles his hair in motherly affection before turning to the other spirits who await her decision.

"For your crimes, I believe there is due punishment; you will relinquish your powers until such time it has been decided you are fit to return to your posts." The accused spirits wince as she steps forward, touching each of the spirits in turn; their powers becoming a swirling ball in one of her hands as she strips them of it. Making them nothing more than ordinary spirits that humans would call ghosts... once she is done the ten are released from their bonds. Staring at Mother Nature as their powers disappear as she closes her hands over the sphere, storing them within herself. She looks at the ten.

"You are free to do as you like from this point on. Be aware though your actions will be watched by all to determine if you have truly mended your ways." Jack sighs, unaware of MiM's light being cast on him and Mother Nature as he whispers to her.

 _I think it is time Jack stay with you. His powers are too great at the moment; he is to be with you on the dot to control his powers._ Mother Nature looks up with a soft smile, whispering back to the moon.

"Yes... I believe the three of them can help him... After all... the other two would likely scour the world if they did not know his whereabouts." The spirits quickly disperse, leaving only the three rulers and Mother Nature, who moves back over to Jack.

"Jack, why don't you meet your brother and sisters?" Her voice is quiet, even as a bird comes at her silent call and she hands it a small scroll which it flies off with in search of Jamie who is searching the woods for Jack, confused... where had Jack gone? Jack nods.

"Okay." He stands up, looking at said brother and sisters, he was quite nervous as he hasn't been in contact with them for a long time... The other three come to stand before Jack as Mother Nature beckons them forward, introducing each of them.

"This is Gary Summers, the ruler of Summer... which reminds me... did you ever get your so-called "king" straightened out?" Gary nods and Mother Nature then gestures to the young teen.

"This is Hana Spring, the ruler of Spring."

"Hey Frost, heard a lot about you." She gives Jack a slight smile.

"And last, but not least, is Adriana Autumns; the ruler of Autumn." Adriana seems to study Jack for a long moment before nodding but not actually saying anything. Jack waves.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you all." All at once pain hit him hard and he held his chest.

"Oh God... ouch..."


	3. Time Palace

The three seasonal rulers look at one another and gently place a hand on Jack's head, their powers gently flowing from them and naturally mixing with Jack's to fight back the pain and its cause with little exertion from them as it was a natural light that came from them all. After a moment they withdrew and Mother Nature looks pleased at them that they have so readily accepted Jack though they had not seen him before nor really knew him. Jack falls to one knee, breathing heavily.

"T-thanks." He says, stuttering.

"I really should get going..." He says, stretching out his back.

"Jack... I think you and I need to have a bit of a talk." Mother Nature says and the others glance at one another, then her. She nods to them and the three head off, Gary and Hana chattering companionably while Adriana looks much like she was having to babysit the two. Jack looks at Mother Nature with curiosity and wonder.

"Sure." She leads Jack through the gazebo area and beyond it where the trees dense into a palace with several rooms that are made purely from the forest.

"I am sure you know you are not quite like your brothers and sisters." She says as she walks with Jack, referring to the other winter spirits. Jack nods as he follows her.

"Yeah, and... ?" 

"Did you never wonder why that is? Why you are different? Besides being a Guardian of course." Jack stops.

"Yeah, I do. All the time." He glares slightly at the moon above, but then calms down.

"Don't be mad at him Jack. It's not his fault that he is running out of energy." She smiles a little.

"That is why he hasn't spoken with you himself. He is not like us... he has sacrificed so much of himself to make the Guardians, including you." Jack sighs as he sits down on a close by rock.

"You don't think I know that?" He says more than asks as he looks up at the moon again, wondering what he is to do and why.

"Where is this conversation going?" Mother Nature sits down next to Jack, glancing up at the moon before sighing a little.

"The thing is... you were originally meant to be my son. I was working to make you so when Manny interfered because he knew you would be needed. He gave you the most power and with mine... well... it makes you one of the most powerful seasonal spirits. You're as much his child as mine." Jack shakes his head, trying to absorb what she is telling him.

 

 

"I thought I already was?" Jack is in shock, he can't believe any of what she is saying. He looks back up at the moon, not sure what to say or anything.

"In terms of balance, you shouldn't have had any more power than the rest of your siblings, but because of the need for a Guardian who could destroy Pitch, you were given more. This is why you were able to deal with Shadow when she took over, as you did. Why... and I know the memory hurts, but it is true... that you were able to nearly destroy a light spirit of Mysterie's caliber. Very few light spirits are as strong as she is... and had she been born as pure as you she would be stronger still. None of the other rulers, bar myself, would be able to stand up to her power. You, on the other hand, have untapped potential. That which is your greatest fear is also your greatest strength." Jack shakes his head.

"Why are you telling me this now?" He looks at her in nervous confusion.

"Because Manny believes your powers are starting to go wild. You need to be able to control them and he believes I can help." Jack is in shock at this.

"I'm fine." He starts to hate the moon for some odd reason.

"I can control myself okay." He stands up, walking the other way in disgusted shock.

"He doesn't think I can control myself..." He glares up at the moon.

"Jack... I think you know better than anyone that things aren't what they seem. I've seen what happens when you lose control. Without your guardian... you would kill many and not mean to. Jack... I know about what has been happening lately and I know you don't want this. You want things as they were, as they were when Jamie was a boy. When things were simpler for you." Her voice is soft as she moves to follow Jack. He knew she'd hit the hammer right on the nail and he stops walking.

"I don't want any of this." He growls.

"All I want is my family back." She sighs a little.

"None of us choose this Jack. Not even me. We have all lost family, we all deal with it in our own ways... Haven't you noticed?" She asks the last part softly. She was, of course, referring to Mysterie and how what family she'd had she'd hardly ever spoken of. Jamie has been supportive of Sophie, bringing in her books and painting her into the mural of Easter when Jack had become a Guardian, but he'd never really talked about her either... or his mother... or the absence of his father for that matter. He'd never once spoken about his own father to Jack, not even when he'd been just a boy. It was as if that man never even existed. 

 

 

Jack sighs and sits on a nearby tree's branch.

"I just want my life back."

"I can understand that feeling, but Jack... is that really what you want? Would you give up what you have now to go back? To change what happened?" She looks up at Jack.

"You have touched more lives than any spirit to date... would you truly give up what you have now for what you used to have?" Her gaze is gentle, not a hint of judgment in it, but she did speak the truth... if he gave up everything he had... It would mean no Guardians... he'd have never met either Jamie or Mysterie... those two would have very different lives and the future... well, who would be there to stop Pitch?

"Perhaps you should see Father Time... he could show you what life would have been like... both now and your past, if you had not fallen into that lake... if you had not saved your sister." Jack sighs, looking at the moon slightly in longing.

"It is up to you, of course." She waits to see if he has anything to say. Jack thinks for a minute; thinking of what could happen if he had never fallen in.

"May I see Father Time, Mother?" He gently and respectfully asks. She smiles.

"Of course. Follow me dear." Jack follows close behind her, not even noticing the tendrils of darkness that surround him in a mist; Jack only had need to know what him not dying could change... Mother Nature leads Jack from the area to a very large mirror, she gestures toward the oval glass that is twice as tall as Jack and three times as wide. Jack is slightly confused as he inspects the large mirror. She chuckles a little, the mirror looks like it is ordinary, except that if one looks closely there are ancient runes etched in along the mirror's frame and is very tiny.

"Mirrors like these are very rare... and for good reason. They are the only ways to reach the Time Palace. You need simply step through son." Solid, though it appears, and it casts Jack's reflection like any mirror... when Jack reaches his hand out to touch the glass itself; however, his hand goes through it as if the glass isn't even there. Jack gasps, pulling his hand out as it feels strange. He looks at Mother Nature and then at the mirror; pushing down his fear he holds his breath before walking into it. She watches Jack walk through it; it is like walking through thick air, really, and instantaneous. As soon as Jack has stepped in he is out the other side. He came out in a white room where three other mirrors stand in a semi circle, leading towards a white hallway. Everything is white, save the mirrors which seem to have different colored frames. The one Jack had come from has a green frame; the other three are a grey silver, a gold, and the last one is a mahogany brown. Jack is confused as to where to go next now that he is there. Although there are no signs or anything, something seems to beckon Jack towards the hallway; it's a soft sound, almost too faint to be heard and it only seems to grow as Jack gets closer. Jack follows the sound, the wisps of darkness growing as his questions still remain unanswered.


	4. What Could Have Been...

When the sound finally evens out Jack finds himself in a room of clocks and small mirrors. A man who looks to be in his prime is dressed in a white T-shirt and blue jeans, fiddling with what looks to be a silver pocket watch. He glances up at Jack with a slight smile, his sapphire blue eyes beneath sun yellow blonde locks are friendly.

"Ah, Jack. I've been expecting you." Jack stiffens slightly, afraid of the darkness that worms its way there around him; feeding off the fear and hate that Jack holds at the moment. He doesn't know what to say... What  **do** you say to the Father of time?

"Easy Jack. I'm not going to hurt you, wouldn't make sense and I don't have the time to bother with such petty things really. As for that darkness in you, you're only feeding it at the moment. If you'd be so kind not to I'd appreciate it. I know why you are here." Jack sighs, forcing back his emotions; which is probably bad for him but he holds it in as he walks closer to Father Time, unsure.

"I just wanted to see... What would happen if I never fell in?" He says, slight strain and pain in his tone. He smiles at Jack and nods.

"Yes, yes. One moment lad and I'll have you fixed up." He shifts his gaze back to the watch he's holding. Jack nods, standing there fiddling with his staff; unsure how things would go as his mind hurts; he was fairly sure that Mysterie could sense it too...

"Mmmm... don't worry about them lad. With time as it is here, they can't sense you. Inter-dimensional stuff." He says as he finally winds the watch and it begins ticking.

"There we are!" He looks back put to jack, holding the watch out to him.

"Now then, this is simple. Move the hands forward if you want to see what the future would be and move the hands back for the past before you look into a mirror. The default will always be noon." The watch in question ticks, the second hand moving but neither the large hand nor the short hand move when the second hand makes finishes its full circle. Jack nods as he picks up the watch, being careful with it. He breathes in...  _Here we go..._ He turns the hands forward. Father Time gestures to three mirrors nearby; one blue, one white and one red.

"Regardless of which time you choose... the blue one will show you the Guardians and their future. The white one will show you Jamie's and the red one will show you Kari's... er... I mean Mysterie... she really didn't take much to her human name did she?" Jack nods at the facts and turns to look at the blue one first. The blue mirror shows Jack's reflection a moment before it ripples and his reflection fades to show Tooth, North and a tiny Bunnymund gathered with the elves and yetis. No one is saying anything, each is working with paints and wood by hand. Crafting toys. They seem dispirited, but they work all the same. Bunny is barely tall enough to paint the train he's working on, Tooth is sewing a doll by hand; North's brush trembles with his hand as he tries to carefully paint a wooden soldier. The others are also hard at work, the elves bustle about to bring supplies and take what toys are finished to a small pile; it's tiny in comparison to what it should be, but the Guardians work so hard and diligently in their silence. Each one attempting to keep Christmas alive... The entire group of them seems tired, but they continue to work, they all do... until they are simply too exhausted and fall asleep next to whatever they happened to be doing... Jack's eyes reflect his pain. He couldn't believe that that would happen to them.

"W-what happened to them?" He can only ask.

 

 

"What do you think happened? They couldn't defeat Pitch." He says with a bit of a shrug, glancing at the mirror only momentarily. Jack shakes his head.

"You were chosen to be a Guardian for a reason. Without you, there was no one left to believe in them; the world lost its hope, dreams, wonder and memories of such faded... So they are working to start over... to try and get the world to believe again... Think they can do it?" Guilt eats at Jack, he wasn't there to stop Pitch... He is officially afraid to see what the next mirror will hold just knowing that. He shakes his head, tears slowly falling. Ever patient, Father Time says nothing; waiting for Jack to choose the next mirror. They weren't in any particular order after all. It was just whenever he wanted to see whomever. Of course the three mirrors only really showed those that the viewer had been closest to, friends... family... loved ones... Jack sighs and finally looks to the white mirror, the one Father Time had said would show him Mysterie's fate and he fears the worst. Like the blue mirror before it, it shows Jack's reflection before shimmering. A small group of people are gathered around a tombstone, everyone is silent but the priest who is reciting the final lines of last rite. The death date on the stone is the year 2002, the headstone is in a large cemetery across from another one that holds other family that has passed on, but all that is inscribed on this headstone is a single line beneath the death date:

beloved daughter & friend

A small arrangement of flowers is set about the new grave once everything is said and done and people leave the cemetery workers to cover the casket. The day is windy and a little overcast, but no rain falls and once their work is complete the grave is forgotten and those who live to mourn move on with their lives. Jack shakes his head.

"No no no!" He pulls at his hair, pain and suffering stabbing at him as he realizes that if he wasn't there then he wasn't able to influence her, to save her from her suicide attempts.

"Kinda sad I guess... but at least she made the most of it... well.. the way she thought she was anyway. Had a few good friends." Father Time says quietly. Jack feels tears collect in his eyes and freeze over. He was afraid, afraid for the final one even as he turns to the final mirror; no hesitation, he prepares for the worst. The mirror, like the others, shows Jack's reflection for a moment before it shimmers. Jamie sits beneath a tree, dressed just as Jack had last seen him. He's watching Sophie who is smiling and laughing with friends a few feet away. None of them talk to him or even acknowledge that he's there. He walks down past them with a sigh and a kid yells.

"I got it! I got it!" Jamie flinches when the kid who is yelling about catching the ball runs right through him, like he's a ghost. 

"Good catch!" As it pans back it's obvious that the boy who phased through Jamie belongs to Cupcake, who is smiling at the boy paternally even as Jamie moves to get out of the way as more kids give the first boy a smile, but there's something wrong. So very wrong, their happiness is strained and is fleeting before they pan out a bit and their smiles fade as they toss around the ball. They don't seem as energetic as children should be, and Jamie hovers over the group, a deep sadness in his eyes before he flies away from them. Not a single one of them sees him or knows he's even there... By the time the image ends Jack is on his knees, shaking, sobbing silently.

 

 

"Oh Jamie... Mysterie... guys... oh God..." Jack's emotions flare out in waves, had he been anywhere else nature would have lashed out around the world in response. Fortunately the twists of the place keep Jack's power from actually touching nature. Father Time regards Jack in silence a moment, there is compassion in his tone when he speaks.

"You're quite the influential spirit. Never ceases to amaze me how many spirits come through here wanting to know this sort of thing or how they think they're not important to anyone until they see these mirrors." Jack shudders.

"I don't want that to happen... I don't..." He shudders again, gulping in air as he was crying hard; the darkness took advantage of this, feeding off his anguish and fear, slowly taking and poisoning Jack's mind.

"Yes, well, it hasn't. A glimpse is what you were after and so a glimpse I gave you. As it stands, nothing has been changed since you left... and please stop feeding your Darkness... I know it's something you need to fix but its ego is starting to eat up the room in here..." Jack shakes.

"Sorry... I should go now. Thanks for showing me what would happen and all." Jack hands him the watch as he squeezes his staff tightly. He didn't mean to show disrespect, but he feels irritated, like he wants to hurt and kill something; he sighs. Father Time gives him a sympathetic smile.

"Any time lad. Perhaps next time just drop by for a visit hmmm? Don't get many of those." He pockets the watch, not seeming to notice if Jack has shown anything that anyone would consider disrespectful.

"Just follow the hallway back and the green mirror will take you back to Mother Nature. The other mirrors, I'm afraid, haven't been active for some time so don't bother wondering where they go. Although there is ONE that might still be active... don't know if _he_ would be surprised if you showed up or not... I imagine you'd have a lot to say to that one if you did meet him though. Poor bloke. Until next time Jack." Jack was confused by that, but he nods and thanks Time all the same as he makes his way back to the mirror that had been indicated. Father Time watches Jack go with a pleased smile... knowing that jack would be back at some time in the future... and there was always the chance that next time Jack would have someone with him too... Time was ever in motion and while he could see the future, it was never a for sure thing. Jack walks through the mirror, head down, more understanding of things; he growls in frustration as he is so angry and he has no reason why... He is just so angry that he wants to destroy things... So he does in the middle of the garden. He doesn't know what he is doing and he ices trees as anger courses through him. Despite the coldness of the ice, the trees don't die as normal trees do; this was, after all, Mother Nature's main domain. Though the temperature drops exponentially due Jack's ice. It does; however, attract her attention and she moves from behind a tree to watch Jack though she does not interfere as Jack yells in frustration and anger. He destroys the flowers around him, but they regrow and he tries again and again until he is panting, on his knees, shaking as the adrenaline wears off.

"Feel better?" It is all she says once Jack has finished. While she is talking with Jack, Jamie has gotten the note from the bird and is reading it. In response to the question, Jack nods and weakly falls into the grass, muttering into it.

"No." 


	5. InSaNiTy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own "Insanity" by Circus-P [please note this is a youtube "Frost Mix" of the original song and not the original English lyrics]

Mother Nature looks about the place, the ice disperses, the garden returning back to the way it was without her really seeming to do anything as she goes over to Jack and kneels down.

"Jack... I think this is the reason Manny was so concerned." She gathers Jack close to her, gently brushing his hair from his face; flakes of dried blood from the hunt earlier fall out and disappear.

"My poor, sweet child..." She murmurs softly. Jack is so tired that he can't fight. He just lets her take the pain from him as he falls limply in her arms; all the emotional stress as well as physical and mental had finally gotten to him. Jack tries to fight the urge to sleep, but the darkness consumes his vision and he breathes heavily into Mother Nature's chest as he buries into her for comfort like a child. Like any good mother, she picks Jack up and carries him off to bed. Though instead of just tucking him in, as she might have any other; she sits on the bed with Jack, drawing the covers around the two of them. Gently stroking his hair as she calls upon the light of the power over summer to shoo the darkness from Jack's sleep and let him rest easy. Jack awakens hours later, completely drained of power; so much so he can't even lift an arm, he was just so drained. She's still there when he wakes up, a little bird of light flying into the room to land on her outstretched hand.

"Hmmm, I see..." She murmurs as the bird tilts its head, cooing softly to her. Jack is slightly confused, but all he can feel is pain; he can't move or twitch even, it hurt. Jack tries to see if he can talk, but he can't; he gasps, holding his neck as he tries to call but it is like a glass jar of air is keeping his voice back. Mother Nature smiles down at Jack when she notices that he is awake. The bird disperses into sand.

"It seems your lady has finally awaken." Noticing that Jack is trying to talk, she forms a glass of water from the air, the water held inside a cup of ice.

"Here, this should help a little. You did deplete yourself not long ago. It's not surprising you're having so much trouble." She presses the drink gently to his lips. Jack drank it, he still can't talk and he is slightly distraught from the day before. He has never felt hat violent before... like he wanted everything living and non-living to freeze and die... He is worried about where those thoughts were coming from. Mother Nature gives him a reassuring smile.

"Your voice will return soon enough Jack. Until then you can use your frost to speak if you want to say something." A slab of rock appears in front of Jack for him to use like a writing pad. He nods and starts writing on it with his frost.

_What happened? I can't remember anything?_

"You wanted to see Father Time. I suspect what you saw when you were with him was very shocking to you and struck several cords. You always have had such a good heart. I cannot image in that what you saw was pleasant for you, to put it nicely. You were rather upset when you came back." Jack shakes his head and erased the frost to write.

 _Where is Jamie? Can I see them?_ His heart hurt after he began to remember what he had seen in those mirrors.

 

 

"Of course dear. Would you like me to send for them?" Jack nods gratefully. His heart needed to hear and see them both or else he feels he will go blow up again and destroy  things. He feels the whispers of the darkness growing stronger and with each passing moment he gets pissed off.... Two birds appear and then flutter off quickly with chirps.

"It might take them a few minutes to reach the castle from here, but I'm sure they will come. Have a little patience." She gently threaded her fingers through his hair in a soothing gesture. Jack slightly purrs as he lays back into her and the bed, counting to ten in his head and thinking of anything other than the anger he is feeling for no reason. She smiles a little as she continues to thread her fingers through his hair. A few minutes later there are couple of flashes of light in the room, announcing the arrival of Jamie and Mysterie; the lather wearing a silver cloak, the hood drawn partly up. She has the presence of mind to curtsy to Mother Nature and Jamie nods to her before the two move to the bed. Each taking a side.

"Hey Jack." Jamie says, Jack waves and smiles as his frost etches on the stone slab in front of him.

 _Hey guys._ He stretches his arms out towards them, a silent plea for a hug that they can't fulfill yet.

"I got her message. You sure meet the most interesting of spirits Jack." Jamie says with a bit of a smile. Mysterie smiles at Jack, but she doesn't say anything. Jack sighs.

 _Yeah_. Guilt collecting that he feels the urge to freeze objects, but he doesn't though the room becomes -2 now. Mother Nature smiles at the two.

"I'll leave you three to catch up. I've no doubt they'll see to you." She says, gently ruffling Jack's hair affectionately before making him comfortable against some pillows and gracefully flowing from the room, leaving the three alone. Jamie and Mysterie wrap their arms around him, effectively making a sandwich out of Jack.

"Why do you feel guilty?" Mysterie asks after a moment, puzzled by the feeling just as Jamie is, but she beats him to asking. Jack freezes in their embrace, his eyes becoming dotted pupils as they have shrunken.

"I-i..." Jack can't say anything, but it was tearing him up inside. The room drops lower, to -3 and had the two of them been mortal they would be dead; Jack feels the room icing and everything deteriorating to ice and he sort of likes it this way. He smiles a dark smile and for some odd reason his eyes flicker with insanity for a minute as well. Jamie's eyes flicker with concern and fear; their only saving grace was being light spirits and that they could be a LOT colder than what Jack was currently making the room, but Mysterie simply melts the ice from herself and touches Jack's cheek gently.

"Jack?" She murmurs softly, meeting his gaze; her eyes darkening a little. Jack shakes his head, making her cold again; meaning that he likes it this way as his eyes are still flickering with insanity and hate. Jack is breaking beyond repair, his power is going out of his control and soon he would have lost all sanity and he would probably kill a lot of people. Mysterie looks over at Jamie who looks worried, but she only shakes her head with a sigh.

"I'm sorry... I... I only know how to cause it... not cure it..." She murmurs the two immediately thinking of the same song at that moment... 

_Everything is said and done_

_Everyone has had their fun_

_Time to make my exit from this_

_Fairytale_

_My departure was foreseen_

_From the very beginning_

_Assume life of insanity_

_Sayonara_

 

_Hello, Nice to meet you_

_You seem familiar_

_Have I met you before?_

_Goodbye, Sweetie_

_Nice to see you_

_Haven't talked in quite a while_

 

_iNSaNiTY_

_The weight of the air is torture_

_PSYCHoPaTHY_

_Don't know who I am anymore_

_iNSaNiTY_

_The illusion of ignorance_

_CaPTiViTY_

_Why don't you take a chance?_

_iNSaNiTY_

_The weight of the air is torture_

_PSYCHoPaTHY_

_Don't know who I am anymore i_

_iNSaNiTY_

_The illusion of ignorance_

_CaPTiViTY_

_Try to stop it from corrupting  
_

 

 

Jamie closes his eyes, feeling like he's lost Jack again... Mysterie sighs softly as she hugs him close. It's all she can do and only her powers keeps her from being frosted over again though she radiates the cold of light to keep Jack from trying to freeze her over again. Jack's mind feels like it is static; ever so slowly he begins to return back to himself. He doesn't speak as he wraps an arm around her and grabs Jamie's hand with the other as his eyes flicker over both of them with fear; he is scared... scared that he is going to turn into a monster. Jamie seems confused about what is going on, but Mysterie seems to understand a little and murmurs softly.

"It's okay Jack, we're here for you." Jamie nods, despite his confusion.

"Always... just like we promised, remember?" He asks as he squeezes Jack's hand. Jack nods, tears coming to his eyes as his hand squeezes Jamie's back, incredibly hard... shaking. Jack feels his voice return, it is squeaky and scratchy as he tries to speak. As one, the two gently brush away Jack's tears and hug him close to them. Jack relishes in the warmth and love from them, returning their love with love in equal amount; as he cuddles close he falls asleep again, but his mind is still in shambles. When Jack wakes up again, Jamie is curled up against him dozing lightly. Though it's obvious he's not asleep because he keeps looking at Jack every now and then. Mysterie is off to one side of the room talking with Mother Nature and Gary in soft tones. Jack shakes a little, the room's temperature drops again and Jack groans as he fights back the insanity that's poisoning his mind slowly. Jamie shifts a little to hug Jack tightly; burying his head against Jack's hoodie. Mother Nature looks over at Gary who looks over at Mysterie and she nods. Gary and Mysterie go over to Jack, gently putting their hands on his head to combine their powers to push the insanity back for the time being. It was a bad idea in some regard... pain courses through Jack like fire and he arches in pain, biting his cheek to keep from screaming as he struggles fruitlessly as the pain surges from inside him and all through him. Jamie yelps, jolted by the sudden feeling of Jack's pain. Mysterie winces, but she and Gary knew it was better than the alternative. It would hurt... but it was all the two of them can do until Jack had been trained to deal with it himself. Gary was going to help Jack with his part first. Jack struggles, slamming against Jamie who is close and Jack can't hold in the blood curdling scream that escapes him as the final tug of the 'poison' that clouds his mind before it recedes. Jack breathes heavily, going completely limp, his eyes watering from the pain. Jamie lets out another yelp in pain as Jack slams against him and all but tosses him from the bed as one arm slams into him, knocking him off. Mysterie sighs, looking at Gary who winces at the scream and the two of them withdraw their power.

"Sorry Jack... but the first time is kinda painful..." Gary says. Jack shakes his head a little, trying to see the group but all he can see for the moment is blurry shapes.

"W-what did... you... do..." He says, breathing heavily.

"Easy there brother... we just pushed back the darkness for a little while... ummm... it took a little more light than is normal for most... Things might be a little... fuzzy for a minute or two, but it's not permanent. Promise." Mysterie nods a little and goes to the other side of the bed where Jamie is rubbing his side and the two silently converse over the bond, not wanting to whine in front of their hosts. Jack sighs, looking around, trying to adjust or at least see something as he forces himself into a siting position.

"I don't like that. Please don't do it again." He says, whining slightly.

"Well, good news is we're going to help you do something like it yourself little brother. Then it won't be painful. I'm ready to start whenever you are. Jack nods.

"Anything to make it stop." He says as his eyes finally adjust again and things around him come into focus again.

 


	6. Learning

Mysterie walks back over to Mother Nature with Jamie and the three of them begin quietly talking; Mother Nature explaining to the two what she has in mind.

"Well, first off little brother you have quite the temper... at least from what I've heard. One hot enough to make one think you were trying to be a summer spirit. I used to be a hot-head myself... believe it or not. I think I know how to help you tame it." Jack smiles.

"That would be great, if only I could control it." He says sarcastically and glares; nothing seems to be helping him at this point. He just wants to kill everyone in the room except Mysterie and Jamie and he doesn't know why he feels this way, but he does.

"That's what I'm here to help you with... show you how to focus it... First... we need to tap into your inner fire. Believe it or not little brother... you CAN produce a flame... the coldest flame around. Like this." Gary holds out one hand and a tiny blue flame leaps into his palm. Jack is in awe at the tiny blue flame.

"You mean I can produce that?" Jack shakes his head, slightly glaring and blowing out the flame because of hate that he has for some unknown reason; he was just full of so much anger and hate at that moment. Gary nods.

"Yeah... just focus your anger and hate and imagine producing this flame. Pour your emotions into it... imagine that the flame eats what you feel... it... er ... kinda does actually... So it's a good way to calm down." Jack tries. It hurts at first as he pours all his emotions into a tiny blue flame that becomes bigger as his hands were literally on fire because of how much anger he had. It was quite a lot and Jack gasps at the flames as he feels no more hate or anger and he flicks the flames a little; they don't hurt and stay on his arms for the moment. Gary chuckles.

"Very good, but you should try focusing more... making it appear as you want it and under your control. Force it to be what you want... impose your will on it... like you do with the ice... but fire requires a little less umph as it is more... yielding than ice." Jack makes the fire into something he loves to make with snow, the flames turn into small blue fire people of Jamie, Mysterie, Jack, and his family. Jack sighs, exhausted; Gary watches and Jack can tell he's impressed.

"You're a fast learner. I've been trying to teach some of my best to do that and only a handful can. You're a natural." Jack blushes a slight blue.

"It's nothing. It just reminded me of the figurines, the way I created my ice." He says truthfully and feels a bit of pain being lifted, but he still feels like he's out of control. Gary ruffles Jack's hair affectionately, much like an older brother might.

"I'm sure you'll do well with the others... although I have to warn ya that Adriana can be a bit stuffy... She's from the Victorian era..." The Victorian... it brought back memories to Jack of when he was around in the era; he'd hated the era because of how everyone treated each other back then and it made his blood boil though he quickly fed the fire his emotions. Flaring, it suddenly blows up and explodes into the room as the fire was overloaded with his emotions though fortunately it was small enough to not cause any damage.

 

 

"Why did it do that?" Gary winces a little, looking sheepish.

"Ah... well if you feed your hate into the fire too fast... it kinda has that reaction... Sorry, shoulda warned you about that..." Mysterie rolls her eyes at Gary for the lack of warning, Mother Nature shakes her head at his forgetfulness while Jamie just tries not to laugh. Jack stands up shakily, grabbing his staff to lean on. When he puts a hand out Jamie and Gary both try to help him.

"I'm fine." He says, stopping both as he walks wobbly out of the room. What he wants to do is explore. Gary drops his hand and backs away, but Jamie doesn't; instead he lightly squeezes Jack's shoulder in encouragement before he drops his hand. Jack shakes with each step, eventually making it outside only for his legs to give out and falls flat on his face, tasting dirt. He groans, but he doesn't let anyone help him up as he uses his staff for support as he pushes himself up. He sighs as he makes his way to an area of flowers and makes it snow slightly; it melts and the water goes to the flowers around him as he intends it to.

"Hey." The voice is only slightly familiar; its' the spirit of spring, Hana. Jack jumps slightly as he hadn't been expecting anyone to be there.

"I'm sorry I-i thought they c-could u-use some water." He stutters in slight fear, he didn't want to make the spirit of spring mad at him.

"Relax Frost. I don't bite." Jack shutters, her voice is so soothing and light that he feels like he could fall asleep if he needed to; he leans on his staff, his body feeling like it was going to give out any second.

"Why don't ya join me 'fore you fall over?" She asks, she's been lounging beneath a flowering tree; laid back, her eyes weren't sympathetic or anything like that though they might have been if they'd been open. She looks more like she is sleeping. Jack nods and obliges, falling onto his butt next to her as he can't hold himself up. He looks up at the sky, it is beautiful and he feels all of his stress begin to leave him. He closes his eyes, suddenly a white aura surrounds his body and he gives off a glow; unknown to him Jack is unleashing his wisdom in a way, Cecil was coming to light within him as his clothing changes to that of a pure white shawl and his staff glows a bit white with the power of snow. His hair lengthens to his neck and his eyes hold wisdom and power though Jack doesn't even realize the change.

"You seem to have peace down well. At least when you let yourself relax." Jack smiles, his voice slightly deeper as well.

"Yeah."

"She's smart. That light of yours. Repression is bad." Jack sighs.

"I know." He stands up, strengthened by the new power as the air around him was full of power and he seems a little taller and more muscular, like he was a grown up version of himself. Hana cracks open one eye.

"You're the most versatile spirit I've seen. Literally bro, most don't change when they zen out."

 

 

"Why is that?" Jack says in curiosity as he touches a nearby flower; it doesn't die, strangely enough, as he can harness his power to not freeze everything that he touches and he did not want to freeze the flower.

"And knowing doesn't help if ya still keep it in." Jack sighs.

"It's kind of hard not to." He says as he makes it rain suddenly. She opens both eyes, looking less like a rebellious goth and more now like a lady in her own appearance as her hair had lengthened past her shoulders and she wore a flowing, deep purple coat to modestly cover her now.

"Most just can't reach that point. Obviously you can, you just don't use it to its full potential." She replies to his question, not surprised by the rain. Jack smiles in awe.

"I never knew I could do this." Hana had risen to her feet as well and moves over to Jack.

"I was like you when I was new. Before Mother found me. I thought I had something to prove. That I didn't need help. could do it myself... that I had to... to not rely on anyone or anything." Jack listens even as he shifts his focus to try something very interesting, which he gasps as he succeeds in making a flower grow.

"!? How?" He looks at Hana, confused that he can do something like that even as he thinks that maybe he doesn't rely on the others a bit too much... She smiles a little.

"Because you are a ruling seasonal you can produce minor feats of all others. A fail safe in case a ruling seasonal is out of commission. The trick is being in the correct frame of mind and in having control over yourself. Spring is about new beginnings. New life, hope, but it is also about love, friendship, and renewing bonds." Jack is shocked, how can he not know this? 

"That's amazing." He says as he stops growing flowers.

"I guess, but you know what humans say about great power. They aren't entirely wrong or lame." Jack smiles, but it feels strange as he isn't used to his look; feeling more mature and wiser but he doesn't like it all that much. She raises an eyebrow at Jack as she notices that he doesn't seem quite comfortable.

"What's on your mind Frost?" Jack shakes his head.

"I-i'm not quite used to this form. How do I go back to my original self?" He asks, slightly embarrassed. She is thoughtful for a moment, her lips turn up mischievously as she answers.

"You don't...." She trails off deliberately with a smirk, not at all serious. Jack blushes a little.

"No... I don't." He hides his face, which is less than young now. She chuckles at what his words imply.

"I doubt they'd care. Just think about your real form and you'll be okay. One last thing... don't take Adriana completely seriously. She's not as bad as she seems and has a wicked sense of humor once you get to know her." Jack smiles and thinks about his former self, light surrounds him and he shrinks, but he still has the shawl. It wouldn't change back to his his hoodie.

"Well.. that's new?" He says and smiles as he starts to walk off, but not before thanking her. She chuckles softly, waving as Jack leaves, thinking that perhaps his concentration needs a bit more work... 


	7. Dark Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own "Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath

Jack looks around as he tests his newly found powers, being gentle and careful with what he is doing as he comes upon another room, this one is full of roses and trees with brown, orange and yellow leaves. Adriana is standing near one tress, staring down a young summer spirit that Jack knows well... Though his last encounter with him and been most unpleasant... it was  **HIM**... the one who had teamed up with the autumn spirits to kidnap Jack sometime back; he looks like nothing more than a petulant child now with Adriana all but glaring at him. Jack wonders what is going on but he can tell it isn't good as he approaches, not wanting to scare the other off. There is a long silence between the two as they seem to just stare at one another, but then the summer spirit breaks eyes contact; backing down from whatever it is they'd been discussing and his eyes go wide when he sees Jack. He doesn't speak though. Jack only gives him a reassuring smile.

"It's okay. I don't blame anyone." He says softly even as he feels his power flare up and the need to spread fall comes to him. He moves over to some leaves that are green and begins to paint them brown. The summer spirit gapes at Jack like a fish then hastily retreats without saying anything at all, leaving Adriana to watch him paint some of the leaves. Jack makes some of the leaves gold, some orange, some pinkish and when he finishes he makes the leaves lightly fall and adds a crisp coldness to the air even as he lands, admiring his handiwork. 

"You're a quick study, aren't you?" Jack nods.

"Quite." Truthfully it was from watching other spirits do their jobs, Jack sighs; feeling that weight as he focuses his energy into a blue fire that dissipates after a while.

"I see you've already spoken with Gary... and from the looks of your attire... Hana as well." Jack nods and he is only feeding the fire once more. Adriana watches in silence as he feeds the flame before him. Jack gasps, dissipating all anger and emotion into the flame before creating a vine to sit on; not very in tune with the powers of nature.

"Not bad, for someone who is new to this." 

"Thanks, I guess." Jack feels a need to leave the area; the entire area as he feels the mental prod of a child's call. He groans and flies out fast to the child's call, aware that Jamie and Mysterie probably sense it. The two do sense the call, as Jack expects, but they are currently too distracted to pay it too much attention. They both know he's done it before and that he'd be back when he is done, though at the moment the two of them are distracted mostly by a whispered conversation that has a faint tinge of embarrassment in it... Jack is somewhere in Colorado, the source coming from a children's hospital. Inside is a girl about the age of 5 and Jack can't believe it; his eyes are wet as she smiles and as if it was natural Jack prays to MiM and squeezes the hand he holds as the girl was slowly dying of hypothermia that wasn't his fault and so his eyes are wet with tears as he slips his power into her to speed it up so that she doesn't have to suffer. The familiar sound of Jackson's voice comes to his mind, soothing as usual as Jack leaves the hospital. By the time that Jack leaves the area of the hospital Jackson's soothing voice is accompanied by Jamie and Mysterie's shared concerns and love that radiates from both of them. Jack feels sadness and makes a huge ball of fire as it keeps growing as more and more of his emotions pour into it, it was now as big as a mini fiat now; both of them are waiting for Jack when he returns. Jack sighs as he returns to Mysterie and Jamie, not even realizing he had returned to his older form. Jamie smiles a little, ruffling Jack's hair though neither seem surprised at the change.

 

 

"This look is definitely you." Jamie says though Jack is now slightly taller than Jamie, but the height changes allows them to see eye-to-eye. Jamie isn't too surprised that Jack is taller than he is, if only by a little bit. His eyes gleam momentarily with his thoughts on the matter... which weren't thoughts one would speak of in public... Jack sighs slightly and hunches over as he goes to the library to grab a book. He wants knowledge. Jamie watches him go with curiosity tinging the bond. He looks over at Mysterie but she only shrugs. Jack picks out a very strange, horrifying book which obviously is not in his usual tastes. He wants to learn things, strangely, basically how to cut things off... The stack of books he goes through grows and grows as he finishes almost every book in the entire library except a book kept in a sectioned off area that is marked as Mother Nature's and the book has a lock on it. Jack doesn't dare touch it. He finishes the last book in the library, stretching and sending vines to put the books back into their proper places as he lays back in the air, unaware that Jamie and Mysterie have just watched him read an entire library's worth of books in an hour. Jamie is a little surprised that Jack could read that fast, but Mysterie is more concerned about the topics themselves rather than how easily Jack has gone through them. Jack slightly dozes, hands folded behind his head as he yawns; the vines recede back into him as they are a part of him. Jack smiles a sharp smile at the choice of books he had just read. He creates a vine that grows sharp thorns that could rip his skin if needed to. Concern for Jack ripples from Mysterie... but Jamie doesn't know what to look for... didn't know the signs... so he doesn't see anything wrong with it. Jack smirks.

"Perfect." His eyes gleam with dark intent as he stands up, stretching and popping bones back into place and when he turns and sees the two of them there he sort of freezes. Jamie just seems confused at why he's sensing concern from her, Mysterie... on the other hand... just stares. Jack walks past both of them, his attitude obviously not okay as he finds another area with a tree that he jumps into. He twiddles his staff, smiling at the fact that he had enjoyed those books with a sense of dark satisfaction from what the books were about... Some had been ways to create weapons out of the elements, one had been to use darkness as a weapon against darkness though doing that was risky to the user and there had been a lot of cautionary notes. Mysterie shudders, not knowing what to make of that... because she knows too well that such books had been knowledge for Shadow and she had used them against Mysterie at times... like now. She didn't want to remember... she really doesn't... She can sense alarm in Jamie as he moves to comfort her, confusion warring in him... Just what was going on that had upset her all of the sudden? Jack snickers as he practices pulling the shadows from within his own heart, creating tiny little creatures that he crushes in the palm of his hand; Jamie only feels more confused. From a nearby shadow a disapproving sound voice comes.

"Playing puppeteer is not well looked upon Frost. Be warned that is not something taken lightly here, as well your light spirit consort knows." It was Adriana. Jack crushes the little shadows.

"So, it's not that hard." He says, venom seeping in.

"I never said it was hard... but the consequences are dire... I wouldn't risk it were I you Frost. Mother Nature and the rest of us are nice now... but don't cross that line. You won't like the results... I thought you better than that." She sniffs derisively. Jack ignores her warning.

"Nothing's gonna happen." He says as he jumps from the tree, shadows following as he puts them back in their place.

"Don't say I didn't warn you... Every reaction has a reaction... a consequence Frost. I would have thought you of all spirits would know to be more careful..." She leaves him to his thoughts.

 

 

Jack shakes his head in annoyance and he goes to find a better place to practice. Taking with him just one book from the library now, the one book that Mother Nature keeps locked. The title of the book... Book of Shadows: Of Darkness and Secrets... and Jack had it... He flies into an old tree in a different room in the palace, snickering.  _Well, whatever this is about it might help be get better control of my shadows... maybe..._ Jack attempts to undo the lock on the book, unaware of what he's doing and what he is about to unleash... Mysterie was sitting at Mother Nature's feet as she had done what she could to console the light spirit's fears but she frowns when she feels the book leave the library.

"What is it?" Jamie asks, seeing her frown.

"It seems he has taken the book I created... I hope he does not plan to open it..." She trails off.

"What book?" Mysterie asks.

"Book of Shadows, I called it such... because that is what is in it... if he breaks the seal on it and opens it..."

"What?" Jamie asks when she pauses.

"He will release a great deal of evil upon the world... including one of the hardest creatures to capture... Nightmares will be the least of our worries if he opens it." Mysterie shudders and Jamie looks at both of them in alarm. Without a thought Jamie and Mysterie do their best to track Jack, taking off towards his location... they couldn't allow that to happen. Jack growls when the book doesn't just open for him.

"Why won't you open?" He looks at it strangely, his mind poisoned by darkness to do these things; the book whispers to him, smoke comes from it and Jack gasps as a red mist goes through his nose, his eyes flash red before turning normal and he drops the book; shaking his head before he tries to open it again.

"Jack don't!" The cry rings out from both Mysterie and Jamie along the bond as they flew towards where they were sensing him to be. Jack feels only one thing might work and so he focuses all of his power of each season into the book and the red mist surrounds him excitedly as the book shakes. The book shook only once and the lock clicks open and falls away... as soon as it does; however, the book begins to vibrate violently and an aura that is darker than even Punishment's surrounds the book... laughter ringing out as the book snaps open and from pages that are empty shadows pour out by the thousands.  Jack's mind clears and he looks away in horror suddenly.

"What have I done?!?" All at once he is wrapped in the laughing darkness as a spirit from the book approaches him.

"Thank you. You shall be my host for now."

"What? No!" Jack screams.

"You have helped us so much Jack. Your power is immense and delectable... which is why I am in control of you now." Jack shakes, screaming and fighting the darkness that has just escaped the book. Even as Jamie and Mysterie scream in abject horror... another spirit emerges from the book. The very last and the darkest thing that didn't bother taking a host... it didn't need one... didn't want one... but oh here were two others coming that it would love to play with... 

"Freeeee at last..." It hisses, its voice neither male nor female and it doesn't hesitate to reach out, looking only like a literal shadow itself with no real discernible form as it shifts from form to form of many species and races beyond the stars. Its hand reaches out to Jamie and Mysterie... at the touch Mysterie lets out a blood curdling scream....

"Mysterie! Oh Gods!" Jamie reaches out to her but is suddenly thrown into a cage of inky darkness and he calls out in desperation to both her and Jack; Jack is suddenly reminded of a song he had heard once... 

 _What is this that stands before me?_  
_Figure in black which points at me_  
_Turn around quick, and start to run_  
_Find out I'm the chosen one_  
_Oh no_  
  
_Big black shape with eyes of fire_  
_Telling people their desire_  
_Satan's sitting there, he's smiling_  
_Watches those flames get higher and higher_  
_Oh no, no, please God help me_  
  
_Is it the end, my friend?_  
_Satan's coming 'round the bend_  
 _People running 'cause they're scared_  
_The people better go and beware_  
_No, no, please, no_


	8. True Nature Revealed

Jack holds his head as the spirt goes through his mind, searching his memories, trying to turn him loyal to the darkness that had just emerged. Jack screams out, the sound blood curdling.

"NO NO! STOP!" He quivers under whatever the giant shadow thing is, the root of evil that towers over him, relishing in Jack's pained cries. A wicked smile plays over the thing's features, regardless of what form it takes as it watches simply as its faithful follower, who had lured Jack to the book in the first place, is set on devouring him.

"Come now... come be a faithful follower... Join the ranks of darkness with us... I know you have already met one of my most faithful generals... why not join with this one?" Jack cries out, shaking and struggling.

"No... Please..." He is being dragged into the shadows, he vomits black blood in pain; writing and crying. 

"Come on now... the faster you accept it and stop fighting the less painful it will be..." A figure appears next to the thing, black cloak hiding everything beneath.

"Ah... about time you showed my dear... I assume you are quiet familiar with the host of one of my most devoted generals... Shadow." 

"No..." Jack gasps, struggling and writhing as he gasps, crying out. Shadow laughs.

 **"Oh Frost... did you really think I was so powerful just because of her? No... I chose her because she was the most powerful human... and so sweetly innocent... I still remember her first screams as my minions dug into her..."** Jack snarls, lashing out at the dark being and Shadow.

"YOU BASTARDS! I'LL KILL YOU!" Jack screams even as he writhes in agony. The dark being laughs even as the darkness feeds off of Jack's anger as it pushes to swallow him... Shadow grins, red eyes glowing beneath the hood as she just watches.

 **"Come on Frost... surely you remember the good times we had together hmmmm?"** She says suddenly, her voice dripping with seduction. Jack growls, anger fueling the darkness and furthering its control over him. He shakes his head, crying and fighting it tooth and nail as he tries to force it out of him but it won't budge.

"GET OUT OF ME!" He screams in pain and suffering. The darkness digs further in, dragging Jack further within its grasp... slowly... ever so slowly... Until there is a flash of light and the darkness cries out; Shadow leaps back... Mother Nature and Gary have arrived and close behind them is an army of spirits and the other seasonal rulers ready to do battle.

"This day is not lost yet... We will return... for now... have your spirit... We will take what is his... for now..." The darkness hisses and Shadow and it are gone before any of the other spirits can attack again; Mother Nature goes over to Jack, but she isn't angry. Jack groans, his breathing shaky from the pain; he can feel everything is losing color and going blurry.

 

 

"M-mysterie..." He looks around and fights to get up. Mother Nature only gives him a look of sympathy as she wraps her arms around him, looking over to Gary and the other seasonals who quickly usher the other spirits from the place as they glance with sympathy back at Jack... Even Adriana does, despite knowing what he had just unwittingly unleashed upon the world... Jack struggles in her grip.

"Where's Mysterie.. where JAMIE?!" He screams and feels pain inside him as the darkness still left in him; the darkness he had just unleashed could use him like a puppet at any time... All it had to do was activate the darkness within...

"I'm sorry my dear... They have been taken." She murmurs softly.

"No." Jack shakes, his eyes going unfocused.

"NO NO!!" He struggles, he has to go... he has to save them... Unaware that he's making a scene, Manny's light shines down sadly and whispers to Mother Nature.

 _No doubt it will be after Jack for the power he has over the seasons. We must keep him out of this battle._ Jack screams and struggles, but it is no use as summer spirits try to sooth him and weaken him slightly with their heat to calm him down... No dice... he was getting to the point where the wind was lashing out at anything and everything that couldn't control it. Mother Nature nods in agreement with Gary, who has come back to speak with her, as had the other ruling seasonals... the only witnesses to this now...

Elsewhere....

"Master... What do you desire I should do with her?" Shadow asks, as she stands in the arctic cavern.

"We will use her to break him... do what you do best Shadow... Seek out all who would be yours and use them to draw out the winter spirit... draw out his rage... his sorrows... his fears..."

"As you wish Master, so shall it be done..." The other spirit, who had tried to take over Jack looks at the Formless One.

"And me?"

"Go with her... do not return to me until you have subdued him."

"Yes Master." The two disappear, Mysterie is barely conscious... struggling against the darkness... pain and fear swirling around her as she seems to be sunk in her own mind... Jamie, currently continues to cry out in his cage. Unaware of where he's at. At first he fears no one hears him, but his fear surges when he finally does get an answer...

 

 

Jack struggles as the darkness in him tires to subdue Jack in the bedroom that was his at Mother Nature's.

"LET ME OUT!" Summer spirits had to heat the room to weaken Jack until further notice.

"LET ME OUT! I GOT TO HELP THEM!!!" He pounds on the door. Fed up with listening to Jack, Gary opens the door, shoving him back from it as he steps inside. He shuts it behind him, looking weary as he's been out with the others spending the last few hours giving orders to his seasonals on how to safely capture and return many of the shadows that have escaped... with the exception of the last two...

"Jack... please... be reasonable. They're just waiting for you to appear." Jack glares at him.

"I DON'T CARE! IT'S MY FAULT THIS HAPPENED NOW I GOT TO CLEAN IT UP!" Gary sighs.

"Jack... if they get ahold of you... the world will be lost." Jack growls.

"Why would that be? I'm pretty sure you guys would just take me down like that." Jack snarls at him, pushing, trying to see if there was any way out of the room.

"JUST LET ME OUT! LET ME FIND THEM!" Gary sighs.

"Jack... if that were true... don't you think we would have interfered before now? You are stronger than the three of us put together.... you RIVAL Mother Nature for Moon's sake! NONE of us can do that! Only YOU Jack." Jack shakes his head.

"Well I'm not sticking round while Mysterie and Jamie are captured by that thing!" He yells, anger coursing through him and the darkness in him is relishing it. Jack looks around and finds hole in the wall, if he angles an ice dagger just right.... he could break through it.

"Leave me alone."

"Jack you CAN'T! Think about this! Do you REALLY think either one of them wants you putting the rest of the world in danger for THEM?!" Gary is trying his hardest to get Jack to see reason without losing his own temper. Jack shakes his head, he wouldn't see reason this time as he forms the ice dagger needed to break the wall down.

"Goodbye Gary, thanks for everything." Jack breaks down the wall and leaves before the summer spirit can say anything. Jack didn't need his staff anymore, the power is all inside of him now.

"Jack no!" Gary cries out but he is too late...


	9. Unbroken

In the darkness of the arctic cavern, beyond where light reaches, a voice answers Jamie.

"It's been so long... so very long... You remember me, don't you little Jamie?" Jamie quivers, not answering.

"Oh come now... we used to have SO much fun together... before you met that frost spirit... I was your only real friend... remember?" There was such seduction in the tone, a seduction of friendship and more... 

"Oh the fun we had... but you know... a friend of mine knows how we can have more fun... So let's be friends again... hmmm?"

"N-n-no... n-not y-y-you..." Jamie's fear spikes even as the shadow sweeps over him and darkness takes over him with a cry...

Jack is on a mission, he feels around the bond trying to find them, he senses nothing and groans in pain as he feels a sense of direction hit him suddenly and he aims to that cavern. Jack senses Jamie's pain and flies faster, diving into the cave and the darkened area without a thought. He searches as he feels Jamie's pain.

"J-jamie..." Jack is almost in the dark creatures' clutches to wield... to take over and destroy the world. The pain in the bond flares and then suddenly subsides as Jamie is beaten into submission. Jack is scared and worried for Jamie and Mysterie. He has a hard time breathing as he feels something inside him telling the enemy where Jack is and he goes to get away and think of a better plan.

"Now for phase two..." Jamie is no longer himself, instead he wears only a pair of jean shorts now and his hair is black and slicked back. His eyes a dark violet. The newly formed shadow spirit takes off in search of Shadow while other, lesser shadows, scatter as they sense Jack is heading their way. Jack shivers in fear as he couldn't sense either of them anymore and he kills any shadow that crosses his path; his sight tinted with anger but he beat back the inner darkness. The new spirit meets up with Shadow in the middle of a small forest in Burgess, a fires that was not the one that had Jack's pond. Just one that is near a different part of the city. Shadow's eyes light up at the sight of him.

"Ah, Temptation! Excellent! Come... we shall lure out Frost..." He grins and nods, yanking on Jamie so that the light spirit cries out in pain... forcing his new host to send it out over the bond. Jack feels the darkness trying to trap me and jumps into the air, using the south and north wind to boost him and speed away from them. He gasps.

"Jamie." He feels the pain sent over the bond and zooms after than the speed of light towards Jamie's distress.

"JAMIE!" 

 **"Hmmm... not the response I was hoping for..."** Shadow murmurs when Jack doesn't appear as quick as she had hoped.

"Can we just start anyway? Maybe that will send him coming..."

 **"Of course, Temptation... it has been so long after all..."** Temptation grins and yanks her close, claiming her mouth with his; his hands running over her body possessively and the two force pleasure to be radiated over the bond this time.... Jack yelps at the feeling of pleasure and flies faster to the area in the woods close to town where Temptation and Shadow are. 

 

 

Shadow smiles around a kiss, whispering softly.

**"He's taken the bait now..."**

"I could care less right now... unless maybe I can have him after you..." Temptation growls softly, pulling her against his chest, pressing his growing erection against her bottom as he bites her neck. His hands teasing her breasts. Jack growls in slight anger then yelps in pain as the darkness feeds off his anger and tries to get a good hold on him as he makes it to the area where Shadow and Temptation are. Shadow chuckles when she sees him, her eyes dark with pleasure as Temptation continues his caress of her body.

 **"Care to join us?"** Jack is in shock, pain entered his heart but then it turns to a fiery ice as wind and thorns wrap around the two, pulling them apart. He wasn't angry, he was furious.

"Come on now! I was just having fun!" Temptation pouts even as the dark spirit pounces on Jack.

"Ahh!" Jack twists his body this way and that to get it off.

"GET OFF ME!" Jack uses the vines to wrap around the dark spirit, making sure the thorns chock it before Jack takes to the air, gasping. It had been a trap. Temptation walks over to Shadow with a smirk, pulling her in for a kiss as the dark spirit chases Jack to try and take over him. Jack gasps, running but anger also soars through him at the kiss and he slams into Temptation, pulling him from Shadow again; he is livid, ice, snow, wind sharp, razor leaves, fire and all other seasonal weapons surround Jack as he kills the darkness try to take him over with a flick of his hand. Temptation scowls at Jack.

"Cut that out!" Shadow just smirks a moment.

 **"Possessive are we Frost?"** She says tauntingly. Jack groans, his head hurt; the two were messing with him, he was sure.

"Shut up Shadow." He didn't even realize that the dark spirit that was after him was there and ready to capture him. Shadow laughs and grabs Temptation, passionately kissing him; wanting to distract Jack from the dark spirit that was still trying to possess him. Jack's blood boils and he groans; he did the one thing Gary had taught him... He makes a blue flame and feeds it his anger and his other emotions he keeps his eyes closed from seeing them; blocking out the noise, only feeding the fire. The two scowl and disappear into the night to report the failure. Jack breathes heavily, unaware that the dark being was furious.

"His will is strong, capture him and I'll deal with him." The spirit spoke, those were the orders assigned to Shadow and Temptation.

"As you wish." The two spoke as one... though how where they supposed to do that? It hadn't told them... leaving the two to skulk around the shadows of Burgess, trying to come up with a plan. Jack was in so much pain, it took a lot of energy from him to do that; he coughs up blood, screaming as he was hallucinating; he thought the fire was moving on its own...

 

 

He shudders, he needed help. The first spirit to find Jack is... thankfully, Hana. She doesn't say anything when she finds Jack. Instead she simply loops an arm around him gently and flies off to the nearest, coldest place she can think of ... a mountain range in Maine. Jack coughs and sputters, shaking as Hana leads him to a cavern so that he can rest and she can get out of the biting cold. Jack feels the cold soothe his pain, his body glows a little as it heals the damage. The only thing it couldn't fix was his heart. Hana doesn't speak but there is sympathy in her eyes. While Jack's mending, Temptation corners Shadow in a dark alleyway to have his way with her, this time without interference. Jack groans as he felt the pleasure over the bond from both of them, black moved under his skin while the light receded inside me; the darkness under his skin was briefly bright and then it was gone... Jack was hurt, broken, angry... all the emotions rolled into one. Hana wove a little light magic to block out the darkness from Jack ... then to block the bond when she figures out what must be going on. Jack settles into the healing process with a heavy heart, tears forming before he fell into a deep healing slumber. She lets out a sigh, watching over him as he sleeps. Jack's dreams turn to future visions where he kills every living thing under the control of Shadow, Temptation and the Formless One; Jack thrashes in his sleep. Hana winces, unable to help Jack fight off the nightmares. Jack arches and with a blood curdling scream that even Shadow and Temptation can hear from where they are at, Jack goes limp and back to a peaceful slumber. The two shadow spirits grin while both Jamie and Mysterie whimper in their prisons. Jack awakens from a nightmare, fat tears rolling down his cheeks as he shakes his head.

"No... no..." He pulls at his hair as Hana hugs him, quietly sushing him.

"It was just a dream Jack." Jack struggles.

"No... no it wasn't." He whimpers weakly.

"What else could it be?"  Jack looks at her, tears collecting in his eyes.

"A close future." Hana gently wipes the tears away.

"The future isn't set in stone yet." Jack shudders.

"I'm a murderer... a monster... I'm the main weapon to their success." He cries, not believing anything anymore.

"No. Jack, we'll fight for you... don't you see that?" Jack shakes his head, hugging the only thing in his world at that moment that he knew was real... Hana. She hugs Jack close.

"We'll beat them Jack. We have before." Jack shudders.

"I know we can brother. We just have to plan..." Jack nods.

"Anything to stop it. Anything to bring back Jamie and Mysterie." He says with determination, his spirit unbroken, shining brighter than before...


	10. Battle at the Pole

"We'll get them back, but we're going to need help to do so. We can't do this on our own little brother..." Jack nods, stumbling a little as he uses his staff as a crutch outside the cave. Meanwhile in Burgess, three shadows gathered.

"Now is the time. Bring him to me."

"How?" Came the quiet reply from Shadow. Jack feels the breeze waver slightly as he drops in a nearby town; just because there is a war going on doesn't meant that Jack won't bring snow to the children. The two shadows listen for a reply from the other, having come up empty on ideas... As Jack is preparing to fly off towards the next town he feels strange, like he should sleep but he doesn't want to. Something is beckoning him to sleep, something just out of sight; Jack struggles against it even though it is constant, no matter how much he struggles. Suddenly Jack falls from the sky, his vision darkening.

"No." Something reaches out to catch Jack as he falls... it's sand... golden sand. Sandy glances around, Tooth is at his side ready for combat. Jack struggles to stay awake, fighting off what he thinks is Sandy's sand. Sandy doesn't notice, his sand hadn't been responsible for Jack dropping from the sky. Seeing no immediate danger, the two hurry back to the pole. Jack wakes up half an hour later.

"W-where am I?" He groans, what happened? All he could remember was feeling really sleepy and falling.

"Hey Jack." Tooth hovers nearby, the other Guardians seem to be standing guard over him, scattered around the room. Tooth is the closest to him. Jack shudders and looks at each of them in confusion.

"W-what happened?"

"Little birdy told us what happened... We went to find you... Sandy was doing his rounds when he saw you fall... We brought you back here." Tooth replies. Jack sighs and slowly sits up.

"I'm pretty sure you heard what happened then." Jack says with slight venom, but he uses a blue flame to be rid of the emotions that are very strong. The Guardians nod, quiet sympathy in their gazes.

"We'll help you get 'em back mate." Jack sighs.

"That'd be great if only I knew where they are!" He seethes slightly, but the flame he'd made fed off it and he murmured an apology to them though none of them seemed to take offense.

"Iz not difficult to guess even if we had no way to track spirit. Which we have." North replies. Jack sighs, creating a ball of ice to look like a crystal ball, his powers made it so that he could find anything and everything... just not all of the time.

 

 

"Find Jamie." He murmurs grimly into the ball, staring as it searches for him. Jamie is standing with Shadow, the two seem in quiet discussion with the dark spirit that had tried to control Jack. Jack glares at the thing that tried to take control of him, it appears in that the Formless One is there too.

"You're not worthy to control him." The Formless One says and kills the spirit that has failed, deciding to pick another more stronger shadow. Temptation and Shadow fall silent as they watch their Master chooses another... The dark spirit is thoughtful before he smiles.

"Fog, looks like you're up." The one named Fog appears from its namesake, none of the spirits are aware they are being watched. Jack growls at the Formless One as it smiles.

"Now, go bring me Jack Frost!" Jack snarls, crushing the ball with his hands and lighting the ice on fire, throwing it out the window and it was instantly put out. None of the other Guardians comment about it, seeming impressed with Jack's new abilities. Jack wraps one arm around his knees as he pulls them against him, only two words are spoken.

"Get out." The group knew that it meant Jack wanted to be alone. Normally they would have protested, but they only glance sympathetically at him this time before they leave one by one. Jack was not sure how to think... what to think at all.... He did one of two things that rose in his mind. He screamed in frustration before trashing the room in anger and then once he'd fixed everything back up again he went to sleep. While Jack was asleep the Guardians discuss what they can do to help him. Jack shivers in his sleep as his dreams become the visions of a future to come, he whimpers and cries in his sleep.

"I'll never serve you." Is all he whispers, unaware that at that moment Shadow, Temptation and Fog were coming for him. The three spirits neared the pole, thinking that this would be easy... Then they notice a small swarm of... Temptation and Shadow cry out as they are barraged by hundreds of Tooth's fairies while Tooth herself charges Fog with a rapier, Sandy is at her side with his sand whips. Fog snickers, turning into its namesake as the fairy slices and tries to hit the shadow spirit only to be kicked aside and bitten, one wing ripped to shreds. Tooth cries out, backing away from Fog, but Sandy's sand isn't so easily dissuaded or beaten and he manages to be a match for the spirit. Fog dances about, dodging the sand; the whole fight is a distraction as the shadow spirits that are the real kidnappers are already inside. Jack sleeps in pain, fisting the bed as he fights his nightmare. The real kidnappers were expecting that this would go well while the three are a distraction... they are also wrong because Bunny and North appear before them like shadows, ambushing them before they can get close to Jack's room. The two fight fiercely, both using spells and physical weapons to drive the spirits before them back from where Jack is working on fighting his nightmare... The Guardians weren't about to let Jack be taken so easily from them. Jack cries, thrashing in his sleep.

"St-stop!" He gasps, struggling, fisting the bed, screaming and crying out. As the battles rage something happens that none of the spirits who are fighting has been expecting... least of all Shadow who lets out a shriek of agony as light suddenly seems to explode from within like a bomb going off... and the shadow spirits flee from the area, including Temptation. Leaving Shadow to her fate as she drops from the battle and from the sky. Jack gasps, breathing heavily in pain; sweat drops falling off him as he cries a little in his sleep. As the light clears Shadow falls through the air, unconscious, and into the snowy land below.

 

 

"Mysterie." Jack whimpers then awakens with a gasp, wondering what had just happened. There seems to be almost a soft sigh that answers Jack over the bond. A weary... familiar warm touch of love... pure and simple, nothing more. Jack reaches out to it.

"Mysterie." He is worried as he jumps from the bed and is out the nearest window, not giving the others time to stop him as he searches for her. There is a faint echo of relief in the bond before the warmth seems to simply wink out... 

"No..." Jack searches to find her, not even realizing he was likely going into a trap set by none other than the Formless One. Mysterie struggles against the darkness... She knows what is planned and she just couldn't sit there... Closing her eyes, the light she'd struggled for before blazes brightly suddenly and she manages to send out a warning to Jack over the bond before the darkness can stop it. Jack gasps, but the warning came too late as Jack screams in pain as he's lifted up by the neck by the shadow spirit; Jack struggles as it continues to shift forms. Mysterie cries out, her light flaring up and Shadow shrieks in pain, gasping out as a stream of icy blue fire suddenly appears and cuts off the dark spirit's hand. Forcing it to drop Jack and turn to her, slamming her and Shadow into the snow with an inhuman snarl even as it shifts to a new form to regrow the lost limb.

"Mysterie!" Jack groans, he picks himself up and runs towards her only to be tripped up by the dark spirit.

"Ahah, now where do you think you're going Jack?" Jack cries out in pain as darkness seeps into him.

"Don't fight it. You can't win, be a good boy and destroy the world for us. Jack cries out, but he fights back with light as he jumps to dodge the hand that reaches to grab him again.

"NEVER! I'LL NEVER DO IT!" Mysterie lets out a groan that is weak at best, but she's still fighting Shadow who seems to bleed into the snow, turning the snow around her suddenly into an inky black red. Mysterie sends a stream of sand at the dark spirit... it burns like fire as it wraps the Formless One in chains and seems to disassemble them, causing the thing to shriek... Mysterie shakes... the effort this is costing her is beginning to be more than she has never done. More than she is used to but it isn't going to stop her... she is going to protect Jack at all costs... As she had swore to do when she had agreed to be his guardian...

"Mysterie." Jack gasps and runs to her, holding her close; feeding her some of his power to keep her energized.

"Please, please keep fighting." He was so focused on her that he forgot there was still a problem in the form of Temptation. Mysterie closes her eyes, basking in the glow of the warmth that comes from her heart just being near Jack... and then she cries out as darkness rips them apart. Mysterie is slammed into a tree, nailed there by blades of darkness and only a few feet away is Temptation.

"Just couldn't stay where we put you could you?" He snarls at her.

"NO!" Jack runs towards her to help only to be wrapped in wisps of darkness.

"LET ME GO!" He struggles against their grip even as they yank him from her and towards Temptation. He grabs Jack's wrists, saying with a bit of a dark purr.

"Be a good little winter spirit and take your medicine..."


	11. Tell Tale Heart

"No!" Mysterie cries out even as another dark spirit appears and despite the pain and how much more draining it would be the burst that she had produced before, that had knocked Shadow from the sky, shines from her again; cutting down every dark spirit that can't retreat into a host... Leaving just Temptation now who is knocked off his feet and Mysterie slips down the tree. The dark blades that had held her there are now gone, just as the wisps of darkness are. Blood streaks down the tree, following her as she tumbles into the snow, which quickly changes colors around her. As if it had been a beacon, scores of spirits seem to appear to battle the darkness as well as the Guardians; surrounding Jack in a protective circle as the battle rages across the area. Mother Nature capturing the weakened darkness into the same book Jack had opened; even the weakened Formless One found itself trapped back into the book along with countless others. Jack lets out a groan as the shadow spirits that had appeared are beat back by the sudden show of spirits that have appeared and the other Guardians.

"Mysterie!" Jack jumps to protect her.

"Please stay with me, okay..." He groans in pain as he feels something inside him move and it isn't pleasant.

"One more...." She whispers, closing her eyes as her power mingles with the light power that is inside Jack. There is a strangled shriek as Punishment is shoved out of Jack even as the spirit that is Temptation calls out as he is sucked into Mother Nature's book only to be followed by Punishment. Jack holds her close as he feels pain being ripped from him and leave.

"Mysterie, I love you." Mysterie's vision blurs as she looks up at Jack.  _I.. I can't..._ Her world goes black. There is suddenly silence, all of the fighting has ceased; spirits leave to deal with wounds, going back to homes and the only ones left in the area now is the other Guardians and Mother Nature who has put a new combination lock on the book she holds. Jack shudders, worry for her seeping into him... and was Jamie okay? He felt a little jolt of alarm, he had been so worried about her that he had momentarily forgotten about Jamie. Jamie puts a hand on Jack's shoulder, sending a bit of reassurance over the bond and breaking the silence as he speaks quietly.

"We should probably see to those wounds." Jack nods, completely guilt filled at having forgotten Jamie. There is quiet assent from the others and the Guardians lead Jack back to the workshop. Mother Nature decides it's best not to follow; instead, once they have left she looks up at the moon.

"Calculating as always hmmm? You knew this wold happen... didn't you old friend?" She smiles a little, not expecting an answer or receiving one as she returns to her own home. Jack sighs, the guilt over the whole thing is eating at him along with fear, knowing that he could very well be used as a weapon of mass destruction by any villainous spirit out there. Jack shudders at the thought of being used for their purposes. Jamie puts a hand on Jack's shoulder and squeezes it gently as he stands near the winter spirit who sits in a chair next to the bed Mysterie was put into, her wounds wrapped up. Jamie didn't like Jack feeling guilty, but the truth of the matter was that he  _had_ let those things out... One of which had possessed Jamie and had reawaken Shadow again... Jack shudders.  _I don't deserve the touch... I don't deserve kindness... I deserve to be floating under my pond dead..._  All of the thoughts hit Jamie like a ton of bricks.

"Jack..." He sighs his name at the thoughts he'd gotten from Jack; murmuring quietly in response, unaware of Jack's visit to Father Time...

"Where would I be without you if that was where you were?" Jack sighs, the thoughts just keep coming; repeatedly ramming into him. He can't get them to stop as his heart just feels wrong. Jamie flinches this time, not because of the thoughts though but because of the feeling of wrongs... There is guilt in his own heart... for what Temptation had made him do... He shudders.

 

 

Jack hugs Jamie, trying to comfort him even as his own emotions seem stuck in a loop. Jamie's guilt only deepens and he glances out the nearest window. Jack keeps Jamie in his arms even as he mutters incoherently until he falls asleep. Jamie settles Jack comfortably before leaving him with Mysterie, heading off into the night. Jack awakens hours later good as new physically but not completely unscarred. Jamie doesn't return to the workshop, instead he's keeping Tooth company at her palace... well... As much as anyone can who doesn't really say much, but Tooth doesn't seem to mind; Mysterie sleeps like the dead, but her wounds have finished healing as is evident when Bunny comes in to check on her. Removing the various bandages and tossing the blood soaked strips away. Jack's breath hitches as he watches Bunny work, inspecting the faint remainder that is the wounds she'd sustained from being impaled by her limbs to a tree. His voice is strained.

"I-is she gonna be okay Bunny?" 

"She's suffered worse mate. She'll be fine in another day or so... I wouldn't worry none 'bout that." He replied with a bit of a smile before he leaves the room. Jack sighs.

"God I'm so stupid." He mutters to himself, not realizing he's lit a nearby curtain on fire until he notices the movement. He yelps, making it rain to put it out. Two days go by before Mysterie wakes up from her healing sleep... Jamie still hasn't reappeared at the pole. When she wakes up, Jack is outside, trying to learn his powers and practicing at controlling them better. Mysterie yawns, simply feeling out the whereabouts of both Jack and Jamie over the bond; a sort of gentle prod would be all that they would feel really. Jack sends back a big, love filled hug over the bond at the poke; he was overjoyed that she'd finally awaken, but in the background she could tell he is still troubled. She returns the mental hug, followed by a slight sigh. Jack isn't the only one troubled... if anything Mysterie is just as bad off, if not worse. Jamie, on the other hand, seems to just be wallowing in his guilt at Tooth's. Jack sends a mental hug and worry to Jamie. Jack is worse for the wear and all he can think about is the trouble he'd caused, even though Mother nature could tell that Jack had been under the control of something from the book; he still couldn't forgive himself. Jamie shudders as he tries to close off his side of the bond again. Jack intercepts immediately, sending over the bond.

"Nuh uh. I love you Jamie, stop beating yourself up worse than me!" He sends love and affection with it. Over the bond, Mysterie rolls her eyes with an impression of "Gee... wonder where he got it from... and this is nothing compared to the sulk he did when he thought you hated him... Oh don't get me started." Jamie's end is tinged slightly with embarrassment, the guilt is still there though; apparently he also got his stubbornness from Jack too... Jack shrugs a little.

"Alright, I'm coming back and when I get back you're getting cuddled!" Jack states over the bond, Mysterie radiates warmth from Jack's response while Jamie tries not to sulk too much, considering his attempts to shut the bond on his side to have been fruitless. Jack smiles as he searches for Jamie, finding him in a room at Tooth's place he stealthily gets behind him to take him by surprise as the other is relaxing on his bed... brooding a little.

"Jaaaaccckk..." Jamie whines a little, tugging way much like a dog with its tail between its legs.

"Nope, cuddles." He says, now that he's in his taller and slightly older form he's also a little stronger too and he pulls Jamie to him on the bed, tickling his stomach lightly. Several of Tooth's fairies who had been hovering about make themselves scarce and it soon gets around the palace which place to avoid for a while... Jamie sighs and resigns himself to being cuddled though he only squirms when Jack attempts to tickle him while on the bed he's been using as of late... Well, would have been if he'd bothered sleeping any. Jack nips at his neck and lightly rubs at his side.

 

 

"Stop being guilty." He shifts close and wraps his legs around Jamie in a way of trapping him. Jamie shifts a little uncomfortably... uncomfortable in more ways than one now, replying a bit grumpily.

"Easy to say." Jack groans in response.

"Was I this stubborn when you tried to cuddle me!" He says in annoyance.

"Worse. You actually ran the last few times I tried." Jamie mutters back and Jack groans in annoyance.

"Past in Past. Cuddle time now!"  He says, trying to find that spot on Jamie that especially needed cuddling as he nuzzles into his neck. Jamie groans, as much in annoyance as in the slight tug of desire that's nagging his mind now.

"What are you, five?" Jack growls at that.

"Shut up," He nips at Jamie's neck, his canine teeth now longer and sharper too.

"Or I rip off your neck. Learn to be happy for once, don't be like me; don't, Jamie I repeat, don't be like me." Jack says sternly in a tone that would send goosebumps along most anyone else. Jamie turns over to meet his gaze, nothing of what he is feeling at that moment is flowing over the bond. Concern trickles from Mysterie even as Jamie says evenly.

"So either I learn to be happy or you kill me is that it?" 

"What?" Confused, Jack looks away; afraid of that question and the intensity he'd suddenly seen in Jamie's eyes. He lets go.

"All I want is for you to not end up like me." Jack says, stressed; he quickly makes a small bit of blue fire and sighs as he shoves the emotions into it before speaking again.

"Is that all you think about Jamie?" Jamie doesn't reply, merely arching an eyebrow at Jack; his manner having reverted to the same one that Jack had faced when he ha come to the castle to apologize for the "misunderstanding." Jack sighs.

"Anyways, I guess I'll leave you be for now." Jack feels like his heart is on fire and turning into ash as he is dreading all of this... feeling regret over what has happened, but of course he mentally blocks both Mysterie and Jamie, keeping in his emotions wasn't good for him and almost anyone could tell that he's been bottling them up and now they're waiting to be released... had to be released or else he might kill someone... Concern for Jack flows along the bond from Mysterie while Jamie manages to effectively close himself off from the bond without actually severing the thing.... Just as he had done with Mysterie those weeks she'd spent with him after Jack had stormed off from the castle... more or less.


	12. For Love of a Light

Jack sighs as he leaves Tooth's palace, bottling up emotions is really bad, especially with the new powers that Jack has unlocked. He feels anger pass through him at himself for saying such a thing to Jamie, regret for even existing... again and most of his heart is broken... Jamie had broken it in mere seconds. Mysterie growls over the bond.

"Will you two grow up?! I swear you two have learned nothing in the last month or so..." Jamie startled by the outburst. Jack nearly falters and falls out of the tree he was sitting in; he hits his head and goes unconscious; trying to shut down the bond as his anger increases at Mysterie and Jamie as he was in the most pain from recent events. Aware of what could happen, Mysterie sends her powers into the bond suddenly, shielding Jamie from any backlash that might occur as she slips through Jack's barriers... She wasn't about to let Jamie be slammed by what she intends to do... by what really needs to be done... Jack is making a few ice wall around what he calls a sanctuary; his emotions were trying to get out of the cage he has put them in. He has decided no more emotions... no more feelings... nothing. One of the walls he has made melts as Mysterie steps through, arms crossed in front of her as she frees her "friends" from their little ice cell. Jack groans.

"Damn it, I thought I locked them up." He says as he makes more ice mental walls. He doesn't notice Mysterie because he is so busy making mental walls. For each wall that Jack makes she decides to destroy two... and then three... then four... waiting to see just how long it takes him to realize that there is someone who is destroying the walls he's making. Jack growls in frustration until he finally realizes that someone else is in his mind, and that someone is Mysterie. He sighs and makes a box around him and in defense he makes spikes around him as well and a wall, entrapping his emotions in a chest. Instead of paying attention to him, she simply frees the emotions again before going back to her destruction of the various ice walls. Jack groans.

"STOP IT!" He makes more spikes and the walls colder against her, tripling the layer of ice the walls present. She ignores him, it becomes like a game to her to see just how quickly various versions of her fire will melt the walls the quickest. Jack groans, giving up finally as he just starts to close off all emotions from his mind. Once half the ice walls are gone she stops melting the various walls and instead walks over to him, her gaze emotionless for the time being.

"Come to this has it?" Jack groans, ignoring her as he curls in on himself. Only one last defense, he grows an ice dome over himself, but before it can fully form she halts the ice dome with a gentle flame that spreads along the edges of the half formed dome; keeping it from advancing.

"Oh no... you can't simply walk away from this and expect everyone else to do what you won't." Jack covers his ears, still curled up; unresponsive. She sighs a little and steps into the dome. Obviously this was going to take time... So she does the only thing she can. She cradles him close to her like a child and simply waits. For some time Jack is unresponsive before finally speaking.

"I try hard, I do... but he doesn't understand how much I care." He says guiltily before wiping away all emotion.

"So I'm going to be a puppet he can order around. I don't need feelings. All I do is hurt others with them." Jack tries one last thing, to send a mental knife into each emotion; stabbing at each of them and trying to kill them so that they wouldn't be there anymore. Mysterie gently strokes Jack's hair.

"He doesn't want a puppet Jack, but you need to understand... he's been copying you from a very young age... He learned to be who he is now from you. I understand you want to show him how much you care, but this isn't the way to do it. Let me help you, help him." Jack groans, the stabbing failing as all the emotions surround the two of them in sympathy.

 

 

"O-ok." It is all he can say, wheezing in air as he begins to cry. She gently wipes away his tears, waiting for him to settle again; Jack settles after a while only to fall asleep in exhaustion. She stays with him, ever patient; quietly sending the emotions off about their usual business; however, reassuring each that she's not leaving Jack alone. He awakes again an hour later, feeling only sadness; he grumbles, wanting to have no emotions at all.

"Jack." She murmurs softly, lightly threading her fingers through his hair soothingly. Jack freezes up, not moving; staying perfectly still.

"I said I'd help you help him. I will keep that promise love. I will help you to show him how much you care... but I cannot promise it will be easy." She murmurs soothingly. Jack sighs and melts into her arms.

"P-please help me show him." He says as tears collect in his eyes. She gently brushes them away.

"I promise to. Jack... this is going to be very difficult for you. He's so much like you... He barely remembers how to trust someone as deeply as I trust you. I know you never meant for him to be the way you are and the only way you're going to reach him my love, is if you give to him what you want him to give back." Jack's eyes widen.

"Trust." He begins to shake.

"I'm afraid though." Jack is afraid, for how can he have Jamie trust him if he can't even trust himself?

"And love..." He whispers in fear. Her voice is soft as she speak.

"I know dear, there is always that fear that nothing is what it seems... but you know he loves you Jack. Hasn't he proven that time and again recently? He feels guilty about what happened  _because_ he loves you... I admit I feel bad about it as well... but I am secure in that you love me... In that you know we would never purposely do anything to harm you. He is not." Jack shudders.

"But how do I show him I love him when he is being like I was? Stubborn!" Jack whines in sadness.

"By doing what I am. By showing you trust and love him. You were the same with me at first... do you remember? You always pushed me away because you were afraid to trust me with your heart. Afraid that something would happen and I would abandon you... but I never did... I never have... I have kept my promise to stay at your side. Trust is a fragile thing Jack, and hard won... but you can do it. It will take time... patience. It won't happen overnight." Jack shakes a little before hugging and kissing her; she returns the gentle kiss.

"I know and we trust each other. I trust you and I'm going to love and trust Jamie. I don't care if he hurts or pushes me, I won't give in." She smiles.

"That's the spirit Jack. Now, wake up and go get him... I'll be at the pole a while if you need me for anything." Jack nods, waking and standing up; going back to the Tooth Palace. He opens the door to the room he remembered seeing Jamie in. He sees Jamie is snoozing on the bed.  _Awww... how cute..._

 

 

Jack shakes his head and gingerly walks in as well as he is now gently shaking his shoulder.

"Jamie... Jaaamie." Jack whines slightly.

"Come on, it's time to get up." Jamie starts awake, not having had a very pleasant dream though it wasn't a nightmare either exactly. Jamie tenses at first until he realizes it's Jack and slowly begins to relax a little. Jack smiles.

"Come on sleepy head, wake up." He says gently as he ruffles through a drawer, bringing out a second set of clothes for him to change into. Jack chuckles as he realizes his sleeping habit to stay in bed, no matter what, but it wasn't going to happen. Jack pulls the covers off Jamie who grumbles.

"You're as bad as my mom..." Though after a moment he sighs and stretches. Jack chuckles.

"Well aren't you glad she's not here?" He says with a smirk and starts to inspect the room. It seemed like Jamie had kept his habit of not quite keeping the room immaculate.

"YUCK!!" Jack says as he picks up what looks like an ancient slice of pizza.

"REALLY JAMIE?!" Jamie looks at it and then groans.

"I swear it's not me... I made the mistake of inviting Tooth's fairies into the room..." He changes into the clothes Jack had gotten for him before he sets to cleaning up the room... again. Grumbling about how many times he's had to do this over the past couple of days as the fairies apparently don't know that cleaning a room doesn't mean shoving unwanted food under the bed or a under a pile of other things...

"Ew... what the hell is my underwear doing in your room?" Jack yells, grumbling about the stupid fairies and getting bug spray... Jamie groans.

"Oh gods... that would be Baby Tooth... We were playing a game of truth or dare... that was her dare. I guess I forgot to tell her to put it back..." Jack looks at him, suddenly blushing a royal blue at the thought of the fairies seeing his new penguin underwear... it was so embarrassing and degrading that he wants to strangle Jamie for it.

"Why did you have my underwear with you?" Jamie sighs.

"Like I said... truth or dare... Wait... don't tell me you've never heard of the game." Jack hides his face, blushing such a deep blue it was easy to believe he might never be pale again. Jamie raises an eyebrow at that, suddenly having the idea that Jack HAS... He finishes cleaning up the last of the room. Jack hands Jamie the extra set of clothes he'd found after a moment, something in him making him run one hand down Jamie's hair at the back as he stows the clothes away. He glances over at him in curious confusion. Why had Jack done that? 


	13. Ice and Light

Jack was slightly unsure as to why he just thought Jamie's hair was out of place. He moves to leave the room.

"Guardians meeting in an hour, thought you should know." Jack feels slightly sad, but he turns it to cheer for Jamie's sake. Jack wasn't going to let him fall on his path. 

"Okay." He still seems confused, but shakes it off.

"What do you think the chances are that they're going to nag us for not talking to her?" Jamie asks, as he crosses his legs, floating in the middle of the air; it came naturally to him now.

"Hmmm, not sure." 

"Can't imagine what else they'd have to talk about... not that the first time they brought it up went so well." Jamie rolls his eyes a little at that.

"Yeah." Jack groans.

"It better not be a meeting about me or you 'cause if it is I'm out." 

"I second that, I don't want to listen to that lecture AGAIN... bad enough they cornered me for it once." Jack nods.

"Wanna play hooky?" He chuckles and Jamie grins suddenly

"Why don't we just find out what they want in the rafters... then play hooky." Jack grins.

"You are so smart." Jack chuckles as he opens the door like a gentleman.

"After you." Jamie smiles and floats out the door, calling back to Jack.

"Why thank you. I try." Jack smiles, following close behind as the two of them make their way to the North Pole. Jack halts Jamie near the entrance as he spotted a familiar yeti, Phil.

"Lay low." Jack instructs.

"I'll follow you." Jamie whispers back. Inside, the Guardians were waiting for the two; Mysterie is sitting at a window, not looking at the group as yetis serve various drinks and snacks. She waves away any offers of a drink or anything though, just gazing out the window. 

 

 

Jack thinks about it, a natural habit of his as he's snuck inside many times since becoming a Guardian. 

"Okay." He says quietly and he makes his way out of the yeti's vision to the windows behind a beam that no one can see and into the rafters, Jamie following him like he's Jack's shadow. Jack is wondering what is going on as what he sees is not the meeting he is expecting. Mysterie knows that the two of them are there from the bond, but she doesn't give them away or even so much as twitch as she just stares off out the window in deep thought.

"We should probably start this mate. If they were coming they'd be here by now." Bunny says, a twitch of his nose though lets Jack know that he knows the two of them are there, but he doesn't give them away either. Jack shudders.

"How did he know?" Jack whispers, glaring at the Pooka like he is hoping the rabbit's head will go up in flames; fortunately for Bunny Jack's powers didn't do anything like that.

"Iz no time like present. Enjoy my friends." North says with a smile and begins to dig into the food provided, as do the others but unlike them Mysterie doesn't seem half as interested in the food. She almost seems completely disinterested actually though when she sees Tooth's concerned glance her way she takes a glass of tea from an elf that is balancing a tray of drinks. Jack feels worry for her rise in him, he shakes his head.  _What to do... Go down or stay up here?_  Jack keeps forgetting that Jamie can sense his thoughts; the young light spirit answering without really much thought.

"I donno... it looks good though." Jamie whispers very quietly. Mysterie simply watches the others, she never really had been very social in life and while the food looks enticing for sure, she just didn't feel like eating. It was a backlash of what she'd done recently... While most light spirits would have dove into the food to replenish their strength she doesn't have the same mind set and only nibbles at a tiny hotdog on a stick when an elf presents some to her. There is nothing wrong with the food, it is just her.

"Yeah." He eyes some of the food, unaware of the vines that came from his magic that slid down unnoticed by anyone else and grabbed some food. Jack smirks and whispers the idea of a prank to Jamie. Jamie smirks, but while Jack didn't seem to notice the vines getting food he did and he nudges Jack, pointing at it silently as the vines raise back up with said food and drinks. Jack silently slips out of sight of those below as the food is brought up; it was both of their favorites.

"Dang powers... always know what I want. It's kind of creepy and annoying." Jamie takes his gratefully, muttering quietly.

"Wish I could do that. Creepy, maybe, but really helpful too." No one else has noticed the vines or the missing food.  _I sometimes wish I wasn't able to do some things; it's all so overwhelming._ Jack thinks and he has an urge to go to North's library to read. Jamie doesn't say anything but, with a jerk of his head, indicates maybe finding a different room to enjoy the "spoils" brought by the vines. Jack nods and the two of them make their way silently and stealthily to the library in which Jack explores using the vines to get to sections he can't reach or doesn't want to as he eats; all he knows is that he has to read... he has to.

 

 

Jamie just watches in mild fascination as he eats the food the vines had given him... wondering what other things Jack could do as he tries to keep his mind off other uses for the vines themselves... Jack makes light out of thin air to brighten the room, shifting it so it angles at the book as the vines are dimming the light in the area where he's sitting; his book of choice being on the origins of Mother Nature. Jamie's fascination with Jack just grows as he watches. After a minute, Jack's annoyance slightly increases and he closes the book and looks at Jamie.

"What?" Jamie ducks his head a little, embarrassment tinging over the bond.

"Sorry, can't help it... it's just so interesting watching you." Jack chuckles, blushing.

"What's so interesting about me now than before?"

"I donno... well it's just... normally you don't notice when I watch you... I've kind of gotten pretty good at hiding it over the years..." He rubs the back of his neck a little sheepishly as a blush warms his cheeks though he tries not to think too hard on it as he takes a drink, balancing his food in his lap. Jack smiles.

"It's alright, I just have sharpened skills now I guess." Jack finishes the book and puts it back where it is before finding another. Jamie tries not to stare too much, going back to what's left of his food. Finally picking out a book, titled How to Create Roses of Colors, Jack opens the book and creates dirt out of thin air and an ice pot to hold it to practice with. Jamie disposes of what remains of his food and Jack's and, feeling a little bored, floats about thumbing through various titles though he keeps one eye on Jack the whole time. Jack makes a beautiful blue chrysanthemum, flipping a page he focuses on the flower; it starts to glow like a lantern and it flickers between colors before a ball of light comes from the floor out of nowhere. Jack is surprised that he can do that as he holds the floating ball of light. Jamie feigns interest in a book about wood spirits, though he's mostly watching Jack. Jack feels kind of irritated as he is thinking it's not that interesting... he's not... Jack focuses on being himself and his form changes back to his teenage form. Jamie hides a smile with the book as he watches, flipping a page in the book he's not really concentrating on. Jack finishes the book after creating several beautiful flowers, still feeling irritated...  _Creepy..._ Jamie sends confusion towards him through the bond. Jack sends "I'm fine" over the bond though he still feels like he is being watched as he puts the book back and picks out another, How to Learn to Calm Yourself in Five Minutes. Jamie chuckles a little, giving the distinct impression of embarrassment; making it clear that it was, in all likely, him that Jack is sensing even as he tries to stop and actually read the words in front of him. Jack reads the page:

Step 1: Take deep breaths

Step 2: Count to ten

Step 3: Let out your emotions on an object you don't like or a pillow

Step 4: Meditate

Step 5: Talk about it

"Pfft... calm down in five minutes." 


	14. A Past Once Forgotten

Jamie actually finds something interesting about the wood spirits in the book he has... their weaknesses... Jack tries meditating, he doesn't even realize that he's glowing as he zened out; finding inner peace, ignoring all noise and anything around. Mysterie smiles a little, noticing that Jack has found his inner peace... It would be helpful as a tool in trying to teach Jamie how to be as open and trusting with Jack as she is. Jamie glances up at the feeling, intrigued that Jack is glowing, but otherwise sensing all is well he simply goes back to his book. Jack smiles as well.

"Hey Jamie." He says, without opening his eyes or losing concentration. 

"Would you like to find inner peace in your self?" 

 _"That even possible?"_  Jamie answers absently over the bond, not even looking up from his book. Memorizing what he's seeing for future use, just in case one of those wood spirits gets any "bright" ideas... Jack smiles.

"Just relax, find what brings you peace. Clear your mind, ignore all noise." Jamie frowns thoughtfully. What brings him peace? When had he ever known that? Jamie puts back his book as he thinks. What brought Jack peace was Mysterie, Jamie and his family. Jamie really has to think about it.

"It can't be that simple... can it?" Jack doesn't answer, waiting for him to figure it out on his own. Jamie sighs.

"It just seems too simple to be true..." The last time he could remember anything like peace, at least his opinion of it, was when Jack had visited him that last time when he'd still been alive... Jack lost concentration as he can feel Jamie's struggle; he sighs, thinking a moment before getting an idea.

"Doesn't love from me give you peace? Doesn't the family we have give you peace?" He asks gently. Jamie considers his words a moment, thinking on what Jack has said.

"Well... I'm not sure I know what peace truly is." Jack smiles.

"We can find peace. It's in the air, the earth, the sun and" He points to Manny.

"the moon." Jack looks at him wisely, he feels more adult than his younger self now; he doesn't know why he feels it, why he feels like he is growing up. Jamie tilts his head as he seems to study Jack for a moment, intrigued at this new side of Jack he's never seen before in all the years he's known him. 

"I suppose..." Jack nods.

"Now focus and only think of that." Jamie closes his eyes a moment, focusing not just on the memory that surfaces but on Jack... How the light had played gently through his hair and across his pale skin... his breathing hitches a moment before becoming slow and steady as he keeps his focus on the details in his mind. Jack nods as the peace of the atmosphere grows.

 

 

Jamie is so focused he doesn't realize Mysterie has come into the library; a slight smile on her lips as she searches out a book. A bottle of root beer in one hand. Jack goes to get a book as well. Mysterie doesn't find one that she likes and instead simply finds a seat and curls up, spacing off. Jack smiles as he finds a book based off the adventures of the Guardians. Mysterie's eyes close as she drifts off... a long forgotten memory surfacing in her mind.

 _Wrapped in a puffy pink coat, a lone girl walks along a circular road. Her brown eyes dull from boredom. She was all alone, there was snow to play in... but no one around... no one to play_ with _... What was the point of a snow day if you didn't have anyone to share it with? Her dark chestnut hair was in a perm and boy short... She hated perms but her father had insisted on her getting one and, despite being unhappy about it, she'd agreed. Having a perm made it crazy difficult to brush her hair let alone wash it... Not that anyone noticed she had one as it was currently covered by the faux fur that lines the hood of the jacket and she wore a pair of blue jeans and white tennis shoes as she slowly kicks at some newly fallen snow. She just didn't feel up to playing in it like normal..._

Jack's mind pauses in the middle of a scene in his book as a memory he had forgotten begins to take over his mind's eye, it had been almost twenty years before the Burgess incident, the year that he had become a Guardian. 

 _Jack was flying around, hoping that someone would see him... anyone... but he'd only felt pain as child after child walked through him. He sighed, making it snow, not even noticing the girl who was walking beneath the tree he'd chosen to sit in at random in the trailer park. Her head jerks up and she looks up, she had thought she was alone... and now it was starting to snow again... great._ The snow... it seems sad... like me...  _She thinks even as she sighs and stares up at the teen curiously. What was he doing up there? Only one way to find out..._

_"What are you doing up there?" It was the middle of winter... who the heck climbed trees in winter? Jack jumps at the sound of her voice and looks around then at the girl below, thinking that she must be looking at a cat who was further up in the tree, she didn't say anything. She was quiet a moment, not having noticed the feline on the higher branch; when he didn't answer she kicked the tree in a bit of frustration._

_"Hey! Are you just going to ignore me?" She sounded angry, but there was also a bit of a hitch in her tone too... like she was on the edge of bursting out crying... Jack gasped and looked down at her with wide, surprised eyes as he jumped down; the wind causing him to float a bit._

_"Y-you c-can see me?" He asks, excited yet cautious in case she was yelling at the cat... Her eyes go wide as she gives him a grin all of the_ _sudden as he floats along the wind._

_"So that's it! You're not human! No wonder!" Childish glee sparkling in her eyes now. Jack looks at her, confused._

_"Um... wait... what?" He didn't know at the time that he wasn't human, he'd always assumed he still was..._

_"I am human. I'm Jack." How could he not be?_

_"Hey, how come no one else sees me and hears me?" She had a thoughtful look on her face._

 

 

_"Well you LOOK human... maybe you were once? But I don't know of any creature that begins as a human..." She scrunches up her nose a little in thought._

_"Anyway, no human can fly... or float... or whatever it is you just did. Nice to meet you Jack, my name is Kari."_

_"Hi Kari." He looks at her confused._

_"But I am alive... I am human, I can't be anything else but."_

_"Weeeeeellllllllll.... changelings can look human, but that doesn't make them human... and fae are humanoids with wings of varying sizes... vampires USED to be human, but aren't anymore... same with zombies and ghosts... but you don't look like a zombie or a ghost... although you kinda look like a vampire... are you a vampire Jack?" She rattled on for a moment before pausing to take a breath._

_"No, I'm not a vampire. I'm me, I'm human ok and that's that!"_

_"Okay, chill Mr. Jack. I was just asking." She sighs a little and slumps down into a seated position in the snow, it means wet jeans later but she doesn't care. Jack sighs._

_"I'm sorry I yelled." He says as he sits down in the freshly fallen snow._

_"I really don't know what I am. All I know is that people can't hear or see me." He hugs himself just to know that he really was there._

_"Well... at least it's better than being picked on all the time... I might as well be invisible to adults. No one sees the other kids being bad to me... ever..." Her voice wavers a little, but she doesn't cry, she's staring at the snow at her feet._

_"Just... just because I'm not like them..." She hugs her knees tightly. Jack sighs._

_"Do you remember that time that group of boys wanted to have their way with you and they ran away?" He didn't give her a chance to answer._

_"Well, they ran away because of me. They used to believe that I was real and then turned into the ruffians they were that day..." He sighs. She stares at him with wide eyes... She hadn't told anyone about that... not even her father because... well, no adult ever listened to her and her dad was too busy..._

_"Y-you? B-but... why?" Her voice was meek as she stared at him. She remembered that day... she had thought she'd been seeing things when she'd seen a flash of white and blue but... Jack fists his hands, his knuckles whitening as the wind picks up._

_"Because what they were doing wasn't right! Especially to an 11 year old!" He growls. She is silent for a moment before she throws her arms around Jack, squeezing tight despite that he's cold; Jack calms down immediately and wraps his arms around her._

_"Thank you... for being my angel..." She says softly. Jack smiles._

_"I always will be."_


	15. Winter Angel

As the memory faded, Jack feels tears fall because he knew that wasn't all there was... after that things had gone down hill for him... Mysterie sighs a little wistfully as her memory ended.  _Why did I remember that? Did it really happen or was it just a dream like my father always said such things were?_ She glances over at Jack, thinking over the memory... the more she thought about it the more she was certain that day had happened... That before she and Jack had met in Burgess he had been with her that one lonely, snowy winter's day... and he had been her winter guardian... but she had never seen a trace of him after that day despite what he'd said to her. She wondered why that was... should she ask him about it? As Jack was still reliving the memory, the flowers he held were crushed to death in his hands and he lit a book on fire.

"OH NO!" Jack immediately ices the fire out; his emotions were shot as he leaves the room like a flash, tears falling. Jamie glances up from his book in alarm. Mysterie shakes her head at Jamie and goes after Jack herself. She needed to know if she is right... but there was something else that is nagging at her too... Something else she feels that she has forgotten... Like another time perhaps like the one he'd saved her from that maybe... maybe hadn't gone as Jack had wanted... had planned.... Jack's sadness turns to anger at himself; anger that he was using to destroy his room; the other Guardians could hear his screams and yells of anger and sadness; wood breaking as he was breaking everything in the room besides his closet,  items eventually that were dumped from his shawl... everything... Until that moment he hadn't remembered why she had been so familiar that first day they had met in Burgess, it had never clicked until now... Mysterie watches from the room's doorway until there's nothing left to break.

"Feel better?" Her tone is quiet. Jack groans and cowered away from her a second before he spins around to slam his fist against the bed frame, breaking it on the hard wood; he didn't even care, all he feels now is that he failed. She moves over to him, wrapping her arms around him even as certainty begins to seep into her. Certainty that it really had happened and that there is something she is missing... 

"It was real... wasn't it?" She murmurs quietly.

"Fate is a funny thing... but there's something I'm not remembering about that time... am I wrong?" Jack groans, shaking his head, not wanting to remember how Manny had to wipe her memory of him and the reason for it.... That he had said it was for a good reason that she grow up without him... it was the last thing that Manny had said to him, the only time he had truly gotten an answer from the moon on anything.

"Please, my angel... what happened that was so terrible that I cannot remember it?" She asks softly. Jack gasps, his hands tighten in fists as he is pulled into that day... it was the same day they had met and Jack hadn't realized that the boys from earlier that week had been listening. He should have checked around him, but he wasn't used to having anyone see or hear him... Jack groans.

"Please, please... I don't want to remember..." He shakes his head, his fists tightening to wrist breaking proportions. All that had happened was inevitable as he had watched her leave her home for a nearby park... another boring day... another day of being picked on by kids she didn't even really know. Mysterie gently, but firmly pries his hands open so that she can thread her fingers into his as she whispers softly.

"It's okay... I'm here..." She gently presses her forehead against his, the memory surfacing in his mind and projected into hers.

 

 

_Jack floats after her as she heads back home from the park, he sees them... its those boys who he had run off before..._

_"Hey!" Jack yells at them, but they just ignore him though the shout alarms her and she stopped to see what's going on only to be tackled by one of_ _the teenagers; the five of them all high school age. She kicked out at them but they just punched her and dragged her towards the back of a nearby building where there'd be less of a chance of anyone seeing anything. Jack ran towards them._

_"LEAVE HER ALONE!" He screams angrily, expecting the wind to help him; his powers to do something... but nothing happened and it is only then that he sees the black dagger stuck in the fresh snow nearby; it was enchanted with a spell to keep any power from being used within the area for several hours, one of the boys had found it. Jack felt like he'd been stabbed in the heart as he realized he couldn't do anything to help... he couldn't touch those boys without his powers because they didn't believe... Fortunately a man, around the age of 25 had been home and had seen the attack from a window; he had called the police before the teens could drag her fully behind the building. He knew though that he had failed her... she had needed him and he hadn't been able to help her despite her cries... He had been horrified to think that he was about to witness her being raped... but that hadn't happened... almost... but not quite... He'd spent the night pacing along her roof as he tried to think of how he could possibly ever make it up to her when Manny had spoken._

**_She will forget this day... It is for the_ _best._ **

_"But if she does she won't... she won't remember me.... Please... there has to be some other way!" Jack looked up at the moon, pleadingly._

_**It is for her sake she will forget until the day she is ready to remember.** There was no arguing with him, no reasoning with him; despite all the curses and yelling Jack did... nothing changed and the next day proved it as the girl went about her snow day without looking around for him even once. She didn't remember him... didn't know he was there... He visited her day after day, night after night... hoping against hope she would remember him, but he could only watch as she cried herself to sleep many nights, how as a teenager she had tried to kill herself and that she still couldn't see him or anything... Once he saw that she was twenty... he gave up. She was an adult now and adults never believed... The magic of belief was gone from her... Like every year, he gave her snow... but this would be the last year he'd visit her home because what was the point? He had almost had a friend... and in the blink of an eye other humans had ruined it and she had been taken from him... _ Jack's breath hitches as he is forced to remember that time... how they had beat her, tried to rape her... how he had lost her... Jack shakes his head as he drops to the floor, curling up and covering his ears. It was too much for him. Mysterie is silent as a couple of tears fall from her eyes as she suddenly understands and she feels pain, not from the memory, but pain from what he had suffered through; her tone is infinitely gentle as she speaks.

"Oh Jack.... my dear sweet angel..." She hugs him close to her. Jack cries as he hugs her close, sniffing.

"I failed... I'm not an angel... I failed." He repeats over and over again.

"It's not your fault... It's okay. I promise." She holds him closer to her, understanding now why when she had confessed what she had done in her teenage years a while back that Jack hadn't been surprised... It all made so much sense now... He had always been there... 

 

 

Jack shudders, crying and crying and crying until he has nothing left and he falls asleep, eyes puffy and swollen, his body still slightly shaking in his sleep; his breathing uneven and his mind in pain. Mysterie sends reassuring feelings and thoughts to Jamie to keep him calm, keep him from realizing that Jack is reacting to something in the past before she slips into his dreams. Knowing that he needs to make peace with what had nearly happened... with something that wasn't his doing. Jack is paralyzed, fear stricken as he struggles in the dream to help her, but it's like he is stuck in the spot.

"KARI!" He cries out in helpless pain as she appears in the dream, finding that Jack has trapped himself in this memory. She shifts to move between him and the dream version of herself conjured by the memory.

"Jack." She murmurs softly, moving towards him, meeting his gaze. Jack struggles to move, whimpering at his helplessness in the dream.

"Please, make it stop! I'm sorry!" Mysterie moves to him, gently taking his head in her hands.

"Stop beating yourself up over this. It's not your fault... I'm only sorry I never remembered until now..."

"I didn't help you when you needed me most..." He says, his voice strained from the pain as he can't help but see her past self struggle, her clothes being pulled off her despite it being cold.

"It wasn't because you didn't want to though... but Jack... that wasn't the time I needed you the most... The time I needed you the most... was the day we met again." She says quietly. Jack whimpers.

"It's my fault... all of this... your attempts... everything... I wasn't there!" He says, moving to punch the brick wall of the building that was in the memory dream, breaking his hand again. She mends his hand as she speaks softly.

"No... you weren't... but at the same time what happened then made me who I am. I admit I feel sad that I couldn't see you then... that I was blinded for the longest time... but then again... When all is said and done, I wouldn't change it... Because even though things were bad back then... it tested my faith in who I was... Made me who I could be so that I could be with you now." Jack looks at her and hugs her tight, the dream shifts around them; changing to that of the ice cavern. She holds him close, sighing softly; her heart heavy as she confesses the true reason that she had decided to go to Burgess that week... why of all places to pick she had chosen there...

"Jack... the day I found you... I was so happy... Even with Jamie's directions... with the boy's hope and how happy he was when he spoke about you then... how innocent he was... My belief... it was almost gone." Jack's breath hitches at hearing this. 

"I needed you the most in that moment... in the moment I walked into that ice cavern..." She says quietly. Jack shudders at the thought of what might have been... what almost was... wrapping his arms around her as the ice cavern was melting away; he was returning to the waking world. She follows him back to the waking world, hoping that he will have understood that he hadn't failed her when she had needed him most.


	16. Plans for the Future

Jack sniffs a little when he wakes up, hugging her close as if she would disappear like a dream; Mysterie gently threads her fingers through his hair, she wasn't going anywhere. Jack whimpers slightly like a puppy does at their mother, nuzzling into her neck.

"I promise I will never leave you... I've something for you... a symbol of this promise." She says softly and Jack sniffles.

"You do?" He says, uncertainty in his voice, he still doesn't fully see how he hadn't failed her.

"Yes." She holds out a hand, silver sand swirls around in a small ball and when it fades in her hand is a silver ring. Etched along the sides is the word 'forever' and on the top of the ring is a diamond in the shape of a heart with a perfect snowflake etched inside the diamond itself. An impossibility for any human to replicate; she had made this diamond from her own sand, creating what nature and man could never hope to.

"I want to be with you for all time to come." Jack's eyes glitter with joyful tears.

"Mysterie it's... it's beautiful." He had no more words, the happiness he feels flowing over the bond as he hugs her and kisses her deeply. She returns the kiss happily, keeping him close as she radiates happiness over the bond as he slips the ring on his hand.

"I want to be with you and Jamie forever." 

"I am so happy." Jack says as tears of joy stream down his face.

"I love you oh so much... as much as I love Jamie. I love you equally with him." He says, kissing her and hugging her closely. She returns the kiss, knowing that he does; understanding and accepting of his love for them both gently mingles with her happiness in the bond. Satisfaction seeming to squirm along the bond from Jamie. Jack smiles.

"You're oh so beautiful, you know that right?" He asks as he rubs her back gently.

"Only because you make me believe." She murmurs softly in return; no one else had been able to make her feel truly beautiful. Jack smiles.

"Let's go find Jamie and tell him the good news." He says with a smirk, aware Jamie probably already knows; she smiles back.

"Alright." Jack is so hyper giddy and oh so happy. Mysterie can't help but chuckle a little as they make their way back to the library where Jamie is patiently waiting for them. Jack all but tackles him in a hug, motioning for Mysterie to do the same; Jamie lets out a yelp of surprise when Jack suddenly tackles him in a hug and Mysterie chuckles before she gathers both of them up in a hug. Jack smiles, glowing as pure happiness and peace surrounds them; he accidentally creates flowers and leaves as a result of being so happy. Neither of the two notice really, they are just happy that Jack is happy. Jack smiles at Jamie.

"Let's greet the others." He says, his smile proof his confidence is fully back. Mysterie simply smiles and Jamie gets up... once Jack lets him, to follow the two of them out of the library.

 

 

Jack whoops in glee as he does a little flip in the air before landing in his seat in the meeting room, almost giving the Guardian of Hope and Memories a heart attack.

"Hey guys, how are you?" After recovering from the shock the other Guardians smile at him.

"Jack! Good to see you!" Tooth says with a smile, Sandy waves encouragingly from his spot next to a yeti that is supplying him with eggnog.

"Blimey mate... dont' do that... Good ta see ya made it though."

"Jack! Iz good you make it! Hope you enjoy!" North booms out, smiling as if he'd just walked in... but then again when had Jack ever just walked in? Jack smiles.

"It's good to see you all. I'm doing fine." He says as he makes a flower in the palm of his hand and gives it to Tooth with a smile. Tooth stares in surprise at the flower even as she holds it close to her like a precious treasure.

"How did you do that?" She asks after a long moment, curiosity flickering into her eyes. Bunny seems more thoughtful than surpassed that Jack can. Jack rubs the back of his neck.

"Well, I kind of unlocked my powers." He says, unsure how to explain it, but he does explain the reason for the battle they had been in and what had happened; he feels tears prick at his eyes at that but he keeps going with his story until he reaches the end, they listen quietly to his story without interrupting. While they listen Mysterie decides to nab some food from the buffet and Jamie grabs something to drink. Jack finishes, ending his story with a smirk of triumph at the defeat of the shadow spirits.

"That's amazing Jack." Tooth says with a smile. North readily agrees, Sandy just smiles and Bunny has a sort of knowing smirk... as if he's suspected all along about Jack's powers though he really doesn't know for sure. Jamie and Mysterie take their places at the table near Jack. North raises an eyebrow at Mysterie questioningly but she only rolls her eyes at him before she begins eating. She was  _not_ going to get into that again... especially not now. Jack looks at North and Mysterie in confusion but he only lays back in his chair and relaxes while listening to the stories of their battles; he looks at the ring he wears and smiles. Mysterie refuses to let North's quiet insistence of her being a Guardian ruin her mood or the evening as Jamie and her both relax. Enjoying the peace around them and listening to the Guardians who rattle off their part in the battle as well as what their initial thoughts on it had been. They had obviously been expecting it and had prepared for it since Sandy had brought Jack back to the pole. Jamie manages to leave his guilt over the whole thing behind as he listens to the stories being told, sipping at his drink every now and then... Though at the back of his mind is the ring he's not quite yet finished... He had finished the chain though and it hanged around his neck, the unfinished ring tucked out of sight. He isn't sure what else it needs yet, but he knows it's not finished. Jack smiles, only thinking of the wedding and what it would be like having both Jamie and Mysterie there as well as details of what it might look like.

 

 

An idea suddenly flares in Jamie's mind and excitement surges through the bond though he tries to hide it, shielding the idea from Jack as he wants it to be a surprise as he communicates to Mysterie his sudden idea and a need for her help. She simply smiles and nods; a tendril of silver sand appears and shoots off into the night. Jack leans back in his chair, falling asleep as he feels tired and all he knows is that he needs it, if not why. None of the others seem to mind too much, the feast mostly a quiet affair anyway and everyone is throughly enjoying themselves. When the silver sand returns it drops something into Jamie's open hand, the Guardians grin at him knowingly and Jamie ducks his head a little, flushing when he realizes they know what he's up to... When the sand had return, Jack had woken from his nap and was conversing with Sandy, showing the Guardian of Dreams an interesting thing he'd learned he could do with normal sand. North chuckles and pulls Jamie from the table when he stands up, hiding the object in his hand.

"Iz no matter. Come... I help with zis." Jamie gives him a bit of a grateful smile and lets himself be led out of the room by the other Guardian. Jack eventually starts to nod off and ends up falling out of his chair. He lands on a mix of gold and silver sand cloud as both Sandy and Mysterie react to catch him to keep him from falling to the floor. Jamie is relieved to find that North is all too happy to give him pointers as he puts the final touches on his ring. Jack cuddles into the sand, in his sleep some of it turns into a teddy bear. Sandy chuckles silently and Mysterie just smiles; an hour passes before Jamie returns with North, his feeling of being infinitely pleased with himself seems to saturate his end of the bond. Jack wakes again, he's still tired but awake; with a yawn he scratches one ear with his foot. The others give Mysterie a strange look and she looks at Sandy who quickly explains to them with his sand rapidly before Jack can notice. He settles back down on the cloud again and falls asleep once more, curling up on the sand he sucks on his thumb, though Mysterie is the only one who notices and decides it's best to take him out of the room and put him to bed in his room. Yawning a bit herself, she sets up a couple of pallets for herself and Jamie in the room. It's about an hour later before Jamie comes into the room too, yawning and settling in with a thought of gratefulness to her. In his sleep, voices and flashbacks of his rebirth come to Jack and his old life; he wakes up in a sweat, he sees that both of them are still asleep as he quietly moves to the adjourning bathroom to splash water on his face. Jamie is the next to wake up, the finished ring hidden beneath his shirt on the chain; he fingers it a moment, a small twinge of satisfaction is followed by uncertainty but both quickly vanish from his mind so that he doesn't broadcast them. He glances over at Mysterie... torn between a sense of jealousy and a want to talk at the same time.... He sighs a little and decides to fly out of the room to sit on the nearest roof, looking out over the white expanse of snow that glitters in the darkness... wondering what he should do... Deciding that he's awake, Jack heads for the roof to look at the stars and maybe talk to Manny. Jamie sighs, ignoring the soft glow of the moon. Manny had brought him back, but he didn't expect the moon to answer him or to even care really. Why the heck would he? He hadn't really seemed to care before... Jamie pushes aside his grudging thoughts against the moon as he stares out at the white expanse that seems to glow softly in the darkness that embraces the land in night. Confused, he sighs as he is filled with uncertainty that he struggles to keep down so that it doesn't ring along the bond... What had gotten into Jack lately? The winter spirit had come to the Tooth Palace to cuddle of all things! That was just down right confusing... Jack had never done anything like that with him. Well... except the one time when he'd still been a young boy and he'd had a raging fever and Jack had cuddled with him to cool said fever... but that was forever ago... Jack didn't expect to find Jamie there of all places; he isn't sure what to do but to Jack it looks like he can use a friend or a boyfriend. Jack sits next to him.

"Lovely night isn't it?" Jack says as he looks up at the stars.


	17. Ice, Light, Vines

Jamie nearly leaps out of his skin, he has been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed Jack until he'd spoken up. Jamie calms down quickly enough though.

"Yeah. I suppose it is."

"What's bothering you? You seem different lately Jamie." Jack says, knowingly. Jamie gives him a strange look.

"Different?"

"You're a little more on edge and I feel like you're worrying about me too much." Jack looks at him with a look that says 'stop worrying and be yourself; nothing you say or do will hurt me.' Jamie's thoughts seem to halt, if anything he just withdraws more from the bond. Uncertainty seeming to wrap around him like a blanket. He... he couldn't do this... Oh he had thought about it a few times... even...  but he just... Jamie doesn't look at him, feeling suddenly overwhelmed by the uncertainty that seems to envelope him. Jack beats himself for that; knowing that Jamie had learned it from him.

"Never mind, you can tell me when you're ready or not at all." Jack says gently, looking back up at the stars. Jamie shakes a little... He is just so confused now... Jack's been acting so differently lately... He doesn't understand it one bit... Why is Jack acting like this? Like... like her? Jack shudders, but he goes into a peaceful mindset to try and calm himself, to keep from snapping. Confusion wars with uncertainty in Jamie... Could he really go through with this? He closes his eyes, trying to steady himself, to clear his mind to think this through... but it isn't easy. Jack thinks, as he finds his peace; he looks at Jamie and gives him a warm smile, squeezing his hand to calm him down sending the feeling that he trusts Jamie, no matter what... Jamie stills suddenly. Dare he have that small hope... ? he wonders, feeling it ripple over the bond. Jack smiles at the hope he senses and tries to brighten that hope with happiness and overwhelming trust. Jamie quivers a little, turning to Jack and finally wrapping his arms around him; burying his head against Jack for a moment, his breath hitching a little at the overwhelming feelings he can sense through the bond... Jack hugs him, patting his back gently.

"It will be okay." He whispers, keeping Jamie close as he sends soothing feelings over the bond with love and trust, everything he felt for Jamie rolled into one. Jamie's confusion is smothered beneath the love and trust... beneath everything that Jack sends over the bond to him. He just holds Jack tighter, love and trust swelling in his own heart as he's lost in the feelings Jack sends him. Jack hugs him closer and kisses him, pulling back to smile.

"Jamie, I love you no matter what and nothing will ever change that fact." Jack kisses his forehead.

"Jack..." Jamie says softly on a sigh that is filled only with his love before he shifts to claim Jack's lips, his loving shining like a small sun inside his heart... Though he doesn't really notice it... the taint that had once been in his aura for the longest time finally fades. When the kiss ends Jack whispers.

"Yes my love?" 

 

 

The moon seems to shine a little brighter, but Jamie doesn't notice as he pulls back a little from Jack; there is no hesitation in him now. No second guessing, no thoughts of worry as he slips the chain from around his neck, holding the ring strung on the other end. The platinum ring shines a little in the moon's light, a sapphire in the shape of a snowflake with a heart as its middle glitters beneath the light; his voice is soft.

"I want to spend the rest of eternity with you." Jack's eyes grow tear filled with joy, love and all happy emotions that go to Jamie over the bond as he hugs and kisses him.

"I will Jamie. I will! I will spend eternity with you." Jack says joyfully. Jamie returns the kiss, joyful tears spilling from him as he hugs Jack close even as he slips the chain around Jack's neck; he can't remember being happier than he is at this moment. Jack hugs Jamie, rubbing his back gently and kissing, the two lost to the world even as the sun comes up. Jamie is content to spend the next hours simply kissing Jack and holding him close, barely even noticing the sun's arrival as its rays creep across the land. He couldn't care less... why would he? He has all he wants and desires with Jack who keeps him close as his desire and love for him burns bright. Sensing the desire, in a flash Jamie teleports the two of them to an ice cavern that he had once discovered early on when he'd been very new as a spirit still; he groans in his throat as his desire for Jack burns bright and fierce all of the sudden. Nipping at Jack's neck, he skims his nails along Jack's sides; unable to think past Jack and his desire at the moment. Jack groans, swearing he is in heaven as his nails slide along Jamie's thighs, feeling suddenly like there are too many clothes; he pulls them off gently, one by one with a little help from some vines. Jamie shivers as he shifts to help slip out of his clothes before helping Jack out of his, his nails skimming along Jack's skin the whole time even as he groans in pleasure and desire. Jack gasps as Jamie's nails graze his sensitive stomach; he kisses him, his tongue darting in to explore the warmth there as he rubs Jamie's sides before teasingly rubbing on the inside of Jamie's thighs even as the vines he has summoned slide along the rest of Jamie. The vines exploring Jamie's body here and there. Jamie quivers as pleasure spikes through him quickly and suddenly from each touch... each kiss... He whimpers as Jack's fingers graze the inside of his thigh and he shifts to spread his legs; desiring Jack's touch even as the vines sweep over him. 

"J-jack..." He stutters a little. Jack nips and bites at Jamie's neck as his hand sweeps over the inside of his thigh up and down teasingly, the vines creeping down Jamie's back before slithering between his legs and wrapping around his cock. Jamie groans, arching towards Jack as his body aches for him, for his touch... Panting a little, he rolls over so that Jack is on top and can easily reach any part of him, his skin quivering. Jack licks from his neck to his collarbone as his hands slide down Jamie's back to his bottom to squeeze one cheek; the vines holding them both above the ground now as Jack slips his legs to wrap around Jamie even as his fingers lightly prod at his anal hole while the vines slide along Jamie's length and play with his tip as Jack kisses him, murmuring between each kiss.

"I love you... so... much." Jamie squirms beneath the teasing, whimpering from the pleasure of the vines sliding along his length and playing with his tip; unable to help it as it feels so good... He forces himself to relax at the feel of Jack's prodding finger, gasping out between kisses and groans of pleasure.

"I love... you... Jack..." Jack smiles and gives him sweet assurances as he slips his finger in deep, wiggling it around as the vines continue to play with Jamie's cock. Jamie whimpers, shuddering in pure pleasure; quivering from it. His nails skimming down Jack's sides, his body begging for more silently as he arches. Jack gives him more as his finger finds that spot inside Jamie that sends the pleasure spiking and he matches the speed his vines go as he rams the spot dead on; the vines rubbing Jamie's body as Jack kisses him, reassuring him that any pain will go and that pleasure will come.

 

 

"You're so beautiful Jamie." Jack says as he nibbles on the light spirit's collarbone. Jamie shudders as there's only a brief flash of pain as Jack pushes deeper but it's quickly over run by pleasure and he whimpers, squirming from the pleasure that is caused by Jack and the vines... his body simply swimming with it even as he flushes slightly at Jack's words. Jack pushes his finger in and out, stretching him when he adds a second finger even as a vine teasingly pushes carefully into Jamie's slit. Jamie just squirms all the more from the pleasure, desire flaring hotly inside at the heels of that pleasure as he grains and most as the pleasure seems to grow with each touch... each passing moment and he can only cling to Jack. Finding that Jamie is stretched out enough he flips him over, the vines holding Jamie steady even as they continue to stroke him. Jack kisses his shoulder gently as he murmurs.

"It's okay... it's gonna hurt a little at first." He says as he gently, slowly pushes in as to not hurt Jamie too much; pushing until he is fully sheathed inside Jamie who shudders in pure delighted pleasure, gasping out.

"I trust you..." He quivers in anticipation, desire burning through him. At his words, Jack pulls out and pushes back in slowly and gently and then he picks up speed; wanting Jamie to feel the love and pleasure, the vines pumping at Jamie's cock at the same time one tiny vine playing in and out of his slit. Jamie shudders, if there is any pain he doesn't notice... there is too much pleasure spiking through him and he only groans and moans in pleasure; his body quivering as the pleasure blocks out any other thoughts but of Jack. Jack picks up his pace, slamming into him deeper and faster than before, his body burning in need for Jamie and only Jamie at the moment. The vines matching his speed. Jamie presses back against Jack, whimpering, to get him deeper; his body burning with the need of release that only Jack can give him... and it has never been like this... he pants between groans. His body quivering as it begins to tense for that wave of pleasure that is building inside him... Jack slams into him, the fire melting into him as he pushes faster and deeper, the vines stroking Jamie's cock, but also squeezing so that he doesn't get a quick release. Jack releases it though so that Jamie can release at the last push over the edge... Jamie shudders at the mix of pain and pleasure from the vines before being allowed that release. Crying out as it slams into him hard, Jack shakes as his own release follows and he rides it out; pressing a kiss to Jamie's neck as Jamie shakes from the force of his release. Only love and pleasure is evident across the bond and it is all he feels. Jack collapses onto his side against the cool ice ground, the vines dissipating and leaving Jamie to land next to him; Jack kisses him even as his eyes slightly droop and he falls asleep with Jamie wrapped in his arms. Jamie follows Jack into sleep, completely relaxed as he snuggles against him. The next morning Jack wakes still in Jamie's arms; he disentangles himself to stretch, popping some bones into place and searching for his clothes. A slight smile tugs at Jamie's lips as he stirs even as something of curious amusement comes from Mysterie over the bond. Jack scratches his head in curiosity when he can't find his pants and wonders where they could be. Jamie chuckles and sits up, he'd ended up laying on them somehow and he hands them to Jack as he gathers his clothes to dress. Jack chuckles and puts them on.

"Guess we should head back before they send a search party eh?"

"I guess." Jack says with a smile, opening the door to the cavern that his ice had created to seal them in, acting like a gentleman.

"After you sir." Jamie chuckles, a little surprised that the cavern now seems to have a door... he had just picked the first place that had come to mind last night... Jack takes Jamie's hand and the two fly to the North Pole. Jack is laughing and all but loop-de-loops his way there, even teaching Jamie some of his flying tricks as they head to the workshop.


	18. Guardian of Wishes

Jamie grins, it doesn't show too much as he tries the tricks but for the first time in many years his eyes gleam like they had when he was just a young boy whose best friend was the embodiment of winter and there was nothing to fear. Jack smiles at that and he takes himself and Jamie through a secret magical route that he just creates, since he got new powers; now able to do what Bunny can, he takes them through a tunnel, letting go of  Jamie as they slide through and round the tunnel.

"WHOOHOO!" Jamie can't help but whoop a little after he gets his footing to slide as he wants, laughing the whole time. The tunnel opens up in the middle of the room where the other Guardians are waiting, Jack all but collides with Bunny and he laughs.

"What a rush!" Jamie laughs harder at Bunny's expression; the Pooka simply flabbergasted that Jack can mimic his tunnels. Jack pulls himself away from the rabbit, not even caring in the slightest what the other was thinking as he notices the blue rose that had been created when the tunnel had closed up behind Jamie.

"So, um... what's up guys?"

"Waz discussing business." North replies.

"Right and I was just leaving. Give it up North." Mysterie says in exasperation. Jack looks at her and then North, confused as he slides into his chair next to Jamie, unfazed that the others were staring at him as Jamie had earlier.

"Ya know he ain't gonna 'til ya do sheila." Mysterie sighs.

"Look... you guys don't know what I've done or what I  **do** in terms of the world. Those two at least know." She jerks her head towards Jack and Jamie, Jamie shakes his head a little as he gets what this whole thing is about... They're trying to convince her - yet again - to take the oath. Jack sighs, his mood turning slightly sour when he realizes this as well and he looks at her pleadingly, his expression clearly saying that she should just take the oath and it can all be over with. Mysterie stares at Jack in surprise, it flickers over the bond as well as she wonders for a moment how it is Jack thinks that she should... Not because she's not worthy or anything like that, but just because of how she's so different in her approach that the Guardians might not approve if they knew... Except then she realizes that they knew about what had happened with Jack... What Jack did and accepted it... Mysterie just kind of stands there, trying to work it out in her mind. Jack sighs and goes over to hug her.

"I trust the decision you make." She hugs him back, murmuring quietly.

"Well... maybe it is time..." Jamie doesn't say anything, but she can sense him agreeing with Jack. That it's a choice and Jack nods as he feels that over the bond. A mischievous glint appears in her eyes as she murmurs jokingly so that only Jack would catch it.

"Plus it will get them off my back." Jack chuckles quietly at that.

 

 

Mysterie grins a little at him before turning to the other Guardians who seem to waver between looks of encouragement and being hopeful.

"Alright. I'll take the oath." The group smiles at her while a yeti goes off to get the book. Jack holds her hand.

"Don't worry it's not as scary as it looks." He says, thinking back to time when they had tried to get him to take the oath without really explaining anything; he doesn't regret it at all though and smiles knowingly at the moon that shines from a nearby window. Mysterie interlaces her fingers with his, murmuring with a chuckle.

"What do I have to fear with you around?" Jack smiles.  _Hope North doesn't go big deal about it like last time..._ North's eyes gleam merrily as a yeti hands him the book and he flips through the pages; the others stand up as they watch.

"Do you, Mysterie," North glances up towards her before going back to the book.

"Vow to watch over the children of the world? To protect them with your life, their hopes, their wishes, their dreams. For they are all that we have, all that we are, and all that we will ever be." He glances back up at her and she nods with a slight smile.

"I will." 

"Then, congratulations Mysterie for you are now, and forevermore, a Guardian. He closes the book, Sandy toasts her with a cup of eggnog that he quickly drinks down while Tooth moves over to give her a hug happily and she chuckles a little at the fairy's enthusiasm. Jack kisses her, spinning her around in the air a little before setting her back down.

"You're my guardian angel now." She flushes a little from the reference, knowing that no one but her and Jack would understand. Jack smiles and gives Jamie a look that says 'you coming to hug or not?' Happiness radiates from her and Jamie smiles at her as he moves over to hug both her and Jack at the same time. She has only a moment to marvel at the lack of jealousy from Jamie before North picks her up in a hug too. Bunny just smiles from where he's at. Jack gasps for air.

"North... need air." He manages between gulping breaths. North laughs a bit, releasing the three of them.

"And need be answering question all of us have been wondering for while." There's a bit of a knowing gleam in the larger Guardian's eyes as he looks at the three of them.

"Huh?" Mysterie isn't sure she follows what he's hinting at.


	19. Rio

Jack looks at both Mysterie and Jamie and blushes, the chain around his neck with the two rings gleams from the moon's light.

"So mate... what's the answer?" Bunny asks with a knowing smirk as he looks at Jack. Jamie is quiet, if only because he's not sure how to answer the question and it dawns on Mysterie suddenly what they're talking about; they had noticed the rings. Jack smiles, realizing what the unanswered question is likely that the other four are asking.

"Weeell..." He hugs and kisses them both before continuing on.

"answer is yes. Thinking about maybe when the moon is brightest."

"Sounds good to me." Jamie says with a slight smile, knowing that Jack means the next full moon; Mysterie nods and remembers suddenly that there is something she needs to do, but it could wait a little while. Jack smiles, giddier than an anime school girl as he flies about suddenly.

"Okay, well I'm gonna spread some snow and I'll be back in an hour." He says, his tone like Tooth's when she saw his teeth. Jamie nods and settles into a nearby chair; North insists on celebrating a little and the others just go with it while Mysterie is off in thought. Careful to send only to Jack over the bond that she has something useful for him that she needs to see him later about, but that Jamie can't be around for. Jack sends an "ok" back and smiles as he sees a new set of kids that remind him of Jamie at that age as the group spreads out; Jack spreads snow, making the kids laugh in glee. The kids had wave at him enthusiastically when they see him. Jack smiles at them and creates the best snow day ever for them. While Jack is busy spreading snow, Mysterie had grabs some food and retreats to the library to do some more reading; she had found a book on North's history and she intends to finish it. When Jack returns he finds that Jamie is playing chess with Bunny while Tooth, Sandy and North watch; Mysterie is still in the library with her book. Jack smiles as he makes a cloud to sit on the air and smiles at the new power. Sensing that Jack has returned, Mysterie sends out over the bond to him something like crocking a finger while Jamie is distracted by the game of chess. Jack smiles at that and follows the sensation to the library; Mysterie puts down her book when Jack arrives.

"I've been working on this since Jamie started helping with the one I gave you... I thought that... maybe he'd appreciate it. Although I think the final touches should be with something of your magic." She reaches into a pocket and pulls out a platinum ring that has been etched with the words 'forever mine' on the inside of the ring. Jack smiles knowingly as he sees it.

"What do you need me to do?" She shrugs as she hands him the ring.

"That's up to you. It's yours to finish." Jack smiles at the ring as he thinks it over before covering it with ice, breaking the ice so that it looks like a snowflake covered with fern frost. Mysterie watches with interest, a small smile tugging at her lips. Jack also uses his ice to add his own engraving along the side of the ring, 'forever yours.' Mysterie just watches with admiration at the beauty that Jack creates; he smiles and hands it back to her.

"Done." She looks over the ring with a smile.

"It's beautiful..." She hands it back to Jack.

 

 

"Now all you have to do is give it to him." She smiles a little, Jack gulps nervously.

"What if he doesn't like it!" Jack says, his nervousness rising. She gives him a reassuring smile.

"From what I believe I know of him... it's not so much what it looks like... it's the fact you gave it to him that will mean the most." Jack nods, taking a breath; hugging her and going to find Jamie, but first he was going to take him somewhere a bit romantic... The other Guardians are laughing when Jack returns to the room as Jamie and Bunny have put each other in a stalemate and Bunny is glaring a bit in frustration at the draw as their kings are the only pieces sitting on the board now. Mysterie goes back to her book. Jack silently cheers Jamie on as he sees this.

"Well then... I guess there isn't much of an option left to us." Jamie says, studying the board.

"Guess not." Bunny says and shakes his head as his irritation fades, it's just a game after all.

"Good game mate... we should play again sometime, though maybe not chess, yeah?" Jamie grins.

"Checkers next time perhaps." Bunny nods, Jack can't help but smile and laugh a little. Jamie glances over to Jack with a grin as Bunny gets up to get something to eat after resetting his pieces on the board. Jamie replaces all of his pieces as well as Jack smiles, hovering over to him and sending a beckoning along the bond to follow him. Curiosity tinges from Jamie slight as he finishes setting up the pieces and looks at the others.

"Um... I'll hold off on new challengers for some other time. You guys have fun." He floats up, hovering next to Jack who smiles and takes his head. Instead of flying out though he takes them tunneling again.

"Please hold all arms and legs in the ride at all times and please no screaming unless it's in joy." Jack says with a smirk as they slid through the tunnel, he was taking him somewhere that he knew Jamie had always wanted to go. Jamie just laughs, enjoying the "ride" as Jack said. The ride isn't long but they pop out with Jamie landing in Jack's arms to cushion the fall; tropical jungle all around, a flock of macaws and other colorful birds fly away from them. Jamie chuckles a little, though curiosity is nipping at the bond as to why Jack wanted him to follow even as the two pop out of the tunnel. Jack smiles and takes Jamie put to a tree that looks good for climbing. He feels around in his pocket as he smiles.

"Jamie look! It's a Blue Spix Macaw." Jack points with his staff while he gets the ring. Jamie blinks and looks over towards the exotic, endangered bird, a smile on his lips as he realizes where it is that Jack has brought them... Rio.

"Wow... how'd you know one would be here?" He stares at the bird as it preens its feathers, not paying much mind to the two spirits that have suddenly popped up. Especially not when a second appears and there's the hungry sound of peeps from babies in a nearby next. The first flies off to gather food while the second cocks its head, looking at both Jack and Jamie. Jack smiles.

"Oh, just a hunch." He says as he tries to get the ring into a coconut he's plucked from a tree. He points out another blue macaw in the sky. Jamie turns to see the one that Jack has pointed out, followed by a whole flock that is disturbed by a few passing primates keeping him from noticing the coconut Jack's struggling with. Jack smiles, finally having gotten it into the coconut. He takes Jamie's hand as he stows the fruit away in his pocket.

"You wanna see what it's like in a leopard's den? Don't worry, Jerry won't mind if we visit his den." He says, remembering the cubs. Jamie chuckles, wondering how it is that Jack seems to have animal friends all about... at least ones that are still alive...

 

 

"Really? They have such pretty coats."

"Yeah." Jack's mood changes to slightly sour at the reason he remembers why he'd stopped coming by here, but he smiles and takes Jamie to see Jerry. He whistles a tune, like a macaw and then growls like a leopard. He stands in front of the den.

"One minute." He smiles and then is tackled by a yellow, gold, black spotted blur as he laughs and wrestles with a male leopard that appears with cubs.

"Hey Jerry." The leopard responds with a lick while the cubs sniff and inspect Jamie like 'who are you?' Jamie grins, watching and when the cubs come over to sniff him he only holds out a hand to them. Not entirely sure what he should do that would be considered non-threatening to a leopard. Jerry stops licking Jack and looks at Jamie with the same 'who are you' and then tackles Jamie while licking him as in 'new friend yay!' sort of way. Jamie laughs as he's tackled and licked while Jack smiles.

"Nice to meet you too." Jamie says.

"He likes you too." The two cubs tackle Jack.

"Oh no! The terrible terrors!" Jack says while laughing as the two lick, nip and play on top of him. The leopard purrs as he gets off Jamie and Jack smiles.

"Hey Jerry, how's Iana?" The leopard growls in response and Jack replies in kind as the leopard relays that she is fine.

"Do you remember the falls? Mind if we go through your den to it?" The leopard gets a look that is close to thoughtful and nods his head once. Jack smiles.

"Great." He grabs Jamie's hand and tugs him through the den, vines covering the light of the back entrance. Jamie chuckles at that, happily waving bye to his new friends. Jack smiles once they are near the vines.

"Are you ready?" He opens the vines to a cliff view of a set of waterfalls, birds fly about and there are vines along the sides of the river to swing from; a rainbow disappears over the falls. Jamie's eyes widen at the view that lays before him.

"Wow..." It's all he can think to say. Jack smiles as he takes the two of them to a cave hidden behind the falls; Jamie follows Jack, marveling at everything around him. Jack smiles and creates chairs out of the vines and rocks around them. He points to the pile of gold treasure.

"It's my treasure pile, found it. Did you know people hunt for this junk?" Jack asks, picking up a crown and tossing it into the water, not really caring as he pulls out the coconut and hands it Jamie, using a bit of bamboo for the straw.


	20. Jungle Heart

Jamie chuckles, looking at the treasure.

"Yeah... well some people put great value in such finds. I never was much of one for treasure hunting... well... not this kind anyway..." He grins a little at the implied meaning, he hadn't intended it that way in his head but as soon as it had come out of his mouth he realized what else it could mean. Trying to play innocent he sips at the coconut; Jack smiles and sips his own coconut drink as he thinks about what Jamie's reaction is going to be. Jamie gazes around, simply taking in the sights around him as he finishes off the drink. He hears something scrape inside the coconut as he finishes the last bit.

"Eh?" Curious at the sound, he pulls out the straw, looking at the coconut a moment as he tries to figure out how to open it a moment without disturbing whatever is inside... He shakes it a little, listening to the small thing rattle quietly inside before he decides the best way to get it out of the coconut. Using a tiny flame on one finger to cut a larger hole, he removes a small chunk and tips it upside down over his palm. Along with a small trace of juice something falls into his palm; he sets the coconut aside before staring down at his hand at the ring... surprise rippling through him. Jack smiles innocently as Jamie carefully wipes the ring off as he inspects it; his mouth slightly open as he marvels at the ring... though he wants to say... something... he can't think of anything TO say... Jack feels a twinge of worry though he knows he shouldn't. At a loss for words, Jamie slips the ring onto his finger; trembling a little, pure delight and happiness flowing through the bond. Jack sends love and passion over the bond in return.

"I want you to be mine forever Jamie." Jamie slips his arms around Jack, pulling him close; his love for Jack bright and flowing over the bond.

"I'd like nothing more Jack." He replies before brushing his lips against Jack's gently. Jack smiles even as he deepens the gentle kiss. Jamie sighs a little into the kiss, just happy to be with Jack as he wraps his arms around Jamie. Jamie holds him close even as the kiss ends, lightly touching his forehead to Jack's, murmuring.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Jamie smiles a little, his eyes shining as they meet Jack's; his voice soft.

"The ring is beautiful." Jack smiles.

"Mysterie helped with it." Jamie smiles a little, nodding.

"I thought she might, her signature is kind of all over it... I can't explain it really, but... I can tell the magic that goes into things... who it belongs to anyway." Jack keeps Jamie in his arms even as the sun begins to sink on the horizon.

"I'm thinking of a theme."

"What sort of theme?" Jamie asks, curious though he doesn't move from the embrace. He smiles as he sniffs at Jamie's hair.

"S-sorry, wolf tendencies to do that.... I'm thinking whatever you want the theme to be. It doesn't have a theme, it's many things." Jamie doesn't seem to mind, saying thoughtfully after a moment.

 

 

"I think that maybe it should reflect that... in a way... That it is many things." Jack nods as he nuzzles against Jamie's neck.

"What time do you think we should head back?"

"Whenever we feel like it." Jamie replies, sighing inwardly in delight at the feel of Jack nuzzling his neck. Jack nibbles on his collarbone, sniffing a little before sighing in contentment.

"How about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's good." He murmurs back, trembling a little.

"Are you cold?" Jack asks in worry about Jamie's temperature, hugging him closer to try and warm him but realizing that he can bring is cold. Jamie chuckles a little, shifting to lightly slide a finger up along Jack's throat even as his eyes meet Jack's.

"No... you can't make light cold Jack..." Jack shivers slightly at the touch, closing his eyes in contentment as his breath quickens, the touch tickling a little. A soft smile plays along Jamie's lips and he slides his finger back along Jack's throat slowly, the touch feather light. Jack shivers more, growling and purring in his throat, it feels so good... Jamie lightly presses his lips to Jack's as he continues the soft touch, his other arm tightening a little as he holds Jack close. Jack groans into the kiss, vibrating as he is falling into Jamie's tempting touches. Jamie shifts a little, pressing closer to Jack as he continues the light touch; delighting in the sound of his groan, his other hand skimming lightly along Jack's back. Jack gasps, shuddering as his body accepts each touch and his eyes glaze over in lust. Jamie shifts to lightly trail kisses over Jack's face, his touch soft... as if Jack is something to be worshiped through touch alone. His fingers gently stroke the pale throat even as the other hand skims along the bottom of the navy hoodie, seeming to be in no hurry. Jack squirms under his touch, whimpering slightly. Jamie shifts to slip the material from him, his eyes dark with lust and delight. He lets it fall nearby, lightly skimming his fingers up along Jack's arms and to his shoulders, skimming one hand along his collarbone as the other skims along Jack's throat again. Jack gasps, shivering hard; his legs beginning to give out on him the two shift to lie down with Jamie on top.

"J-jamie." Jack moans his name, shuddering and squirming. Jamie's eyes darken a little in pleasure in response as he slides his hands slowly down Jack's chest, lightly brushing his palms against the nipples as he slides his hands down slowly. Jack gasps and twitches, he is so hard at the moment; he moans, groans and mewls. Jamie slowly trails his hands down to Jack's stomach, his touch still light as he presses his lips gently to Jack's collarbone. Jack shakes more at the touch, his body feeling like it would melt beneath Jamie's touch.

"J-jamie..." It's all he can say as he is melting into the pleasure. Jamie's fingers ghost over the top of Jack's pants, his touch still gentle even as his lips trail along his collarbone before following the path of his hands; he quivers in pure delight, throughly enjoying every moment. Jack is losing it as he rubs his hands down Jamie's back, whimpering and mewling for more as his body arches slightly. Jamie chuckles softly before his lips graze one nipple as gently as they had Jack's collarbone. His fingers shifting along the edge of Jack's pants before slowly sliding them off, brushing only the material, a bit of magic taking over what he's begun. His fingers lightly play over Jack's hips. Jack groans in need, his body arching towards Jamie's touch as he shivers. Jamie's fingers skim up along Jack's sides and then back down as he trails his kisses to Jack's other nipple before trailing them down again. Each touch and kiss so very gentle. Jack gasps, his cock throbbing with need and Jamie shudders at the sound; trailing his kisses down along Jack's stomach as his fingers playing lightly down Jack's thighs and then slowly up along the inside of them, a soft groan rising in his throat.

 

 

Jack gasps in pleasure.

"J-jamie." Jamie shudders at the sound of his name, trailing kisses along Jack's stomach as his fingers slide up along the inside of Jack's thighs to lightly skim over his balls and along the length, tracing them with infinite care. Jack gasps as he arches into the touch; Jamie shivers at the sound, his fingers lightly playing along the tip as he shifts to press gentle kisses along Jack's length, his free hand skimming along Jack's thigh. Jack gasps again, his cock now dripping with pre-cum. Noticing this, Jamie shudders as he shifts, his tongue darting out briefly to catch it. Cleaning it off before he lightly nips at Jack's tip. Jack groans, thrusting up shallowly as he rubs Jamie's shoulders, nails digging in as the pleasure grows. Jamie shifts a little, slowly sliding every bit of it into his mouth; his tongue sliding along Jack's skin, lightly grazing it with his teeth. Ever so gentle and pleasure to only send pleasure. Jack moans, squeezing his eyes shut as the pleasure is overwhelming, his body squirming and shaking.

"J-jamie oh God..." It's all Jack can say as wave after wave of pleasure hits him. Jamie shudders, skimming his hands along Jack's thighs as he gently slides his tongue along the length, pulling back a little to tease Jack's tip with his tongue. He quivers in delight, desire and pleasure shooting through him with every sound Jack makes. Jack gasps, arching; his body bending up as he is losing it. He moans, sweat pouring down every inch of his body as he groans, needing release. Jamie skims his hands along the back of Jack's thighs and along his bottom, lightly squeezing as his tongue slides along every inch of the tip; he shudders, the sound of Jack's gasp like music to him as he teases him towards that release. Jack gasps, moaning until finally he can't hold it anymore and releases with a shout; his body arching and quivering at his climax. Jamie shudders, swallowing it; making sure not to miss any as his tongue flickers along Jack's length and tip before he pulls back, sighing in utter pleasure even without releasing himself; Jack breathes heavily, his body still shaking. Jamie shifts to cuddle Jack against him, nuzzling against Jack's neck. Jack breathes heavily still but he cuddles close, falling asleep in a hammock bed that forms beneath them. Jamie smiles, nuzzling against Jack happily. Jack awakens to the sound of water and the tweeting of birds; sounds of the wild. Jamie hasn't moved from Jack's side, though he has shifted positions though only enough so that he can admire the ring as it gleams in the light on his hand. Jack snuggles against Jamie a moment before stretching out cat style. He smiles.

"I think it's time we head back." He says as he cracks bones into place as usual. Jamie smiles, releasing Jack from his embrace when Jack moves to stretch, though he seems to enjoy watching Jack stretch. 

"Mmmm... I suppose... though if you're intending to leave right away you best get dressed." Jamie doesn't move from Jack's side though, seeming content right where he's at." Jack almost forgets about his pants, but he pulls them on and grabs Jamie's hand. Jack smiles.

"Why don't we have our wedding here?" He says, glancing about at the beauty of the place. He smiles as he sees a tiger and her cubs in the trees through the water and the vast tropical fish swimming below the waterfall.

"That's a great idea!" Jamie smiles; it's warm, true, but not overly here... he doubts that anyone would mind and sends the idea over to Mysterie who heartily approves.


End file.
